MARYGROVE - Key Persons
A campus leader, Angela has been president of the Marygrove Student Chapter of the Association of Black Social Workers for the past two years. She has been motivating fellow students to help with service projects such as collecting warm clothing for the residents of Alternatives for Girls, a center for girls who have been living a precarious life on the streets; and collecting funds for the poor at the Lakota Sioux Reservation in South Dakota, among others. She also was a member of a faculty search committee at Marygrove and helps with student recruitment at WCCC. For the past two years, she has also organized a Social Work recognition event at Marygrove for graduating seniors.
Angela was a leader on the senior seminar script committee too. The senior seminar continues a long college tradition that is an important aspect of a liberal arts education. Her group prepared a public presentation entitled "Human Trafficking: Today's Slavery." They presented facts about child prostitution, organ selling, illegal adoption, child soldiers and agricultural slaves.
Long before words like "ecology" and "sustainability" became popular, Sister Ann Gabriel Kilsdonk was teaching others to use their talents and the gifts of the earth.
Kilsdonk has taught in the department of family and consumer sciences (a.k.a. home economics and human ecology) at Marygrove College since 1958. Concurrently, she headed the department for 25 years and chaired the division of professional studies for nearly 20 years.
In 1975 she received the prestigious Ellen H. Richards Fellowship from the American Home Economics Association. That same year she received the Marie Dye Scholarship from the Michigan Home Economics Association. Both awards helped finance her doctoral degree in family ecology. She received her master's degree and PhD from Michigan State University.
Kilsdonk's published monograph, "Human Ecology: Meaning and Usage," which was well received throughout the United States, Canada and Japan, resulted in her being named one of 100 Outstanding Alumni of the College of Human Ecology at Michigan State University during their centennial celebration. Kilsdonk credits Marygrove College with teaching her to think logically and analytically, which has served her well in her career. She made lasting friends through her participation in the So Bheas Club, later serving as faculty adviser to the club from 1964 to 1998.
During her years at Marygrove, Kilsdonk was involved in many committees, most notably the curriculum committee,on which she served for more than 25 years. Some consider her to be the "unofficial Marygrove historian" and regularly consult with her regarding curriculum procedures and policies. "She serves as an informal college historian and archivist, working tirelessly to maintain accurate records of college meetings, proceedings and events. Whenever someone inquires about any aspect of Marygrove history, Sister Ann can be counted on to remember the details and provide documentation," says colleague Judith A. Heinen.
"Sister Ann was ahead of her time in requiring students to build professional contacts and to engage in community service," Heinen continued. "Personally, she has served as a true inspiration to me. She is a dedicated religious woman, a woman of integrity, who has committed her considerable talents to forwarding the mission of Marygrove, and to educating students in that direction."
Though Kilsdonk retired from Marygrove's full time faculty in 1998, she continues teaching as an adjunct in the clothing and textiles area and serving others. From 1999 to 2001 she was the co-director of the Detroit Public Schools Curriculum Review and Alignment Project for Family Life Education. She also received an Ameritech grant to introduce computer-aided design for apparel making into Marygrove's academic and continuing education curriculum.
College students continue to receive the benefit of her wisdom. "Do not lose the love of learning you acquired at Marygrove," she says. "Nurture it throughout your life in formal, and informal, ways. One can always grow mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally, and creatively."
"The beauty of Sister Kilsdonk is that she has given so much of herself to thousands of people. The halls of Marygrove resonate with her spirit of kindness, compassion and commitment to propel ordinary lives to extraordinary achievements," says Theadoris Baker '95.
"Have great faith in the providence of God," says Kilsdonk. "In retrospect you can always see how the quirks in your life are God's way of preparing you for the various roles you have been able to fill."
Bridget is the proud daughter of the late Mr. Salvador M. Gonzales and Mrs. Helga Anglin; the sister of Mr. Salvador M. Gonzales, II; and the wife of Mr. Sandro Edward Young. She acknowledges them and her wide circle of other family members, teachers, mentors and friends for their guidance, support and inspiration.
Brittany campaigned for an elected (formerly appointed) student government and won election to the presidency in April 2011. She and the remaining three officers see student government as "the voice of the students and a conduit to President David Fike and the administration." They expect to increase student retention and to foster cross cultural experiences. When school resumes, Brittany hopes that student organizations, departments and sports will be represented by "senators" to student government to broaden the impact and better serve both students and the administration.
A graduate of Detroit's Southwestern High School and class Valedictorian, Brittany was accepted by the University of Michigan, her longtime dream. But a tour of Marygrove College and a personal call from Dr. Fike convinced her that Marygrove was the place for her. Each year has deepened her conviction of the correctness of her choice and she is now a passionate advocate for the College.
Brittany works 25 hours a week in the Office of Admissions as a tele-counselor and a tour guide among other duties. Last winter she was a research assistant in the Office of International Programs assembling data on the number of international students, developing graphs of their country of origin, world region, major and whether they completed a degree. Her supervisor, VaNessa Thompson, commented, "Brittany is always there to help out with Admissions events and tasks. She is honest and humble with students and their families and provides an excellent example by using her personal experiences at Marygrove."
With the support of her professors, Brittany took the initiative to establish a Marygrove chapter of Pi Gamma Mu, the International Honor Society in Social Sciences, because she saw a void in honors programs for social science majors. It is the first chapter of Pi Gamma Mu chartered in Michigan.
According to Brittany, Marygrove offers personal attention that is not usual in the other colleges and universities she considered. "Marygrove lets us explore - ‘We have your back' - which keeps us on track." She says, "We are in constant contact with our professors in person or via email. Even faculty who have never taught you know who you are and are ready to help." She also notes that the College sends student leaders to training programs and gives them exposure to a variety of settings. Brittany says that every student at Marygrove is groomed for leadership; it is imbedded in every class and discipline.
Dr. Theodora Williams wrote, "Because of her academic (GPA 3.703) and leadership skills, Brittany was selected as the Business Department's Comerica Scholar for 2011."
Brittany has been heavily involved with the Marygrove Women's Leadership Institute, a program developed by Dr. Carolyn Roberts. Brittany calls it "a judge-free zone" where young women feel empowered and intelligent. She has facilitated workshops on self esteem and issues such as "dressing for you and not for them."
Brittany loves to read and covers a wide range of interests from fiction to history. Like most young women she finds shopping a great stress reliever. An only child, she lives in Southwest Detroit with her mother and grandmother. She has been spending a lot of time advising her younger cousins who are just beginning college. She loves to travel and has her sights set on a European tour someday. The glowing reports from faculty, staff and administration as well as the endorsement of fellow students predict that Brittany will reach whatever goals she sets for herself.
Job Titles:
- Professor Seebaldt 's Research Assistant
Debra's community service is extensive, particularly for a full-time student. During a Service Learning trip to Cuernavaca, Mexico in 2007, she worked with families and groups experiencing various kinds of social injustice. She volunteered for the Beaumont Hospital Parenting Program, which educates new mothers on the physical and mental health of both mothers and infants. During this past summer, Debra taught English as a Second Language to Hispanic adults at a union center in southwest Detroit.
Job Titles:
- Dean of Extended Learning at Marygrove, Describes Sister Elizabeth 's Commitment to Social Justice As Follows
Dr. Brenda Bryant, Dean of Extended Learning at Marygrove, describes Sister Elizabeth's commitment to social justice as follows: "She lived with the poor at Detroit Catholic Worker Day House, was a working member of the Groundwork for a Just World, organized over 50 churches and 1500 volunteers to create a soup kitchen, and has been a member of the Michigan Peace Team since 1994."
Dr. Elsa Potter is widely viewed as an ambassador of goodwill. After graduating from Marygrove in 1960 with a bachelor's in Spanish, she attended the University of Detroit where she earned a master's in theology, and then Oakland University where she earned a master's in elementary education. She received a doctorate in education from Texas A & M. And then the momentum of her life's work shifted into high gear.
An assignment with the Peace Corps from 1978 to 1980 took her to Nicaragua and West Africa and started her on a journey to help create world peace. After returning home, she began focusing on ways to improve people's quality of life through greater communication. She began teaching the Interlingua program, which is designed to bring people who speak English together with people who speak Spanish, at the YMCA of Austin, Texas.
In 1994 she founded the International Institute of Culture and Language (IICL), a small educational and charitable non-profit institution. Now in its eleventh year, the IICL has sponsored a monthly series of meetings in the Austin area that foster Islamic-Christian dialogues.
"She regularly gathers Muslims and Christians to dialogue about their beliefs, values and lifestyles. The dialogues focus on sharing so that each group may come to a greater understanding and appreciation of each other," says Marie Andre Walsh, IHM '39. "Elsa speaks with a great deal of warmth and sincerity about the value of understanding those whom we look upon with suspicion, and perhaps even fear, because we simply do not know them."
As founder of IICL, Potter pitches in and does what needs to be done. "She washes dishes after meetings, handles mail, and produces media events," say Victor and Carla Sevier, colleagues at IICL. "Elsa and this organization take the world as it is and strive to bring it to a more promising, happy state." "Long before 'multiculturalism' became a household word, and fostering intercultural dialogues and understanding became goals for many, Elsa worked with others in Texas and elsewhere to institutionalize a process to make that a reality," says Sister Amata Miller, IHM.
Potter has received recognition and thanks for her life-long work on behalf of intercultural understanding. She received the Austin Woman of the Month Award in 1999. She also received the Beyond War Award, the Goodwill Employee of the Month Award, the Hildago Award, and a Giraffe Commendation in 1998 for "standing tall and taking responsibility for making the world a better place." As a devoted volunteer for the Santa Julia Food Pantry for the Elderly, Potter helps provide basic food items to the less fortunate in the community. Distribution includes heavy physical work under adverse weather conditions.
"Elsa is an excellent Christian role model and is an extremely valuable asset to our ministry and community," says Dolores Saucedo, food pantry director.
"I know beyond any doubt that a lot of Marygrove went into me at the time, and I'm still trying to live up to it, trying to live out ever more of that meaning. Above all, the religious and social-action program ingrained in me a deep and sincere fellow-feeling," says Potter. "Once seized by the conviction I have of my life's purpose, tenacity to that purpose continues to drive my existence."
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor of Psychology
Dr. Karen Keljo Tracy, Associate Professor of Psychology, described her as, "One of those exceptional individuals who can intertwine art and science and bring both to bear in untangling an impossible knot or in initiating a creative strategy. She can sort out patterns in many aspects of her work, which lead her to effective ways of organizing and viewing an issue from a different perspective to solve it."
Currently, Victoria is human resources director and dean of the College of Leadership, General Motors University. She is responsible for setting the global strategic direction for the Global Leadership Development Curriculum for GM executives and managers. Training in many technical areas, as well as in diversity, is provided and often mandatory within the corporation. Victoria also leads the communication and marketing activities for General Motors University.
Charlene Beard of GM Corporate Staff Group HR reflects on an example of Dr. Jones' style, "I recently traveled to Shanghai, China, with Dr. Jones. Her leadership capabilities, warmth and her innate ability to get to the heart of matters as well as her ability to work collaboratively with people of various cultural backgrounds and personalities to achieve specific goals astonished all who came in contact with her." So much so, that the "Women of Shanghai" wanted to nominate her as a "Distinguished Woman of Shanghai." "Well, we later discovered only natives of China were eligible for the award."
During the mid-1990s, Victoria was GM's Director of Diversity Strategies. According to then Vice President William Brooks, she developed the education model that successfully implemented the diversity strategies in the United States, Canada, England, France and Germany. Mr. Brooks writes, "She developed the basic premise that diversity was not a social, legal or moral issue but was a business imperative. Her efforts have had a lasting impact on the General Motors Corporation."
Her pastor, the Reverend Larry Smith, New St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church of Detroit, speaks of Victoria's generosity in giving of her time and talent, citing in particular her chairing of the Victorious Women's Conference for the past two years. Victoria, a woman committed to Christian ideals, has found the following creed helpful in navigating through life's challenges: "I believe that it is my faith that has provided the wisdom of looking to the Lord for insights and perspective first before seeking counsel from others."
While working for GM, Victoria earned a Master's degree in Business Administration from Central Michigan University and a Doctorate of Management from University of Phoenix. She also completed executive development programs at the University of Michigan, Columbia and MIT. She is a graduate of Leadership Detroit XVI.
Victoria is proud that she has integrated "my Christian values into every facet of my life. It can be challenging to practice one's faith in a corporate or academic environment."
She recalls that Sister Amata Miller, Marygrove professor of economics, was especially influential in learning to simplify and to apply key concepts quickly in a corporate setting. "Sister Amata was helpful in building my confidence and business acumen."
Victoria advises students that nothing takes the place of preparedness. "Work hard at optimizing the learning experience--even when the topic is not of great interest. Understand early those topics that provide passion and focus. Remember the three Ps: "Persistence, Perseverance and Passion."
She expresses passion for her family, which includes her husband David, daughter Piper and son-in-law Clarence McElroy and grandchild Janelle, her mother and siblings.
"They provide such joy in my life." She also is passionate about creating an environment that allows people to grow and contribute to the success of an organization. Finally, she is passionate about servant leadership in service to others, as a support system to those in need.
Elizabeth Burns"Nourishing Your Body and Soul" is the theme for a women's health conference in North Dakota now being planned by Dr. Elizabeth A. Burns, MD. The title is an apt summary of Beth's career in medicine. She is a passionate advocate for health care for women and children. "I am proud of the teaching and the work I've done with my medical students and Family Medicine residents over the years. Some have gone into practice and others into teaching themselves -the ripple effect. I'm also proud of the care I've provided for my patients; being a family physician is truly wonderful," says Beth.
Following her graduation from Marygrove in 1972, Beth continued her education at the University of Michigan where she earned a Medical Degree in 1976 followed by an internship at Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit. Her future path was set with a two-year residency in Family Practice at Harrisburg Hospital, Pennsylvania. Next was a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Faculty Development Fellowship at the University of Iowa Department of Family Practice. She also earned a Master's degree in Instructional Design and Technology, Health Sciences Education. Beth met her husband Roger Zinser in a statistics class there in 1980. Roger, who has a Ph.D. in Botany, taught general biology.
Following the two-year fellowship, Beth joined the faculty in Family Medicine at Iowa where she handled many responsibilities during the next 13 years. She saw patients, taught, did research, community and university service and was residency director for the program. She became involved with the Domestic Violence Intervention Project and served on the board for five years and then joined the board of United Action for Youth, an after-school program to deter youth from trouble.
She left Iowa for Chicago in 1992 to become head of the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Illinois, Chicago School of Medicine, clinical chief at the University Hospital and tenured professor. A former student Marisela Dominguez, MD, says, "It's an honor for me to recommend Dr. Burns... I have been blessed with excellent training at the UIC where she was the department head, and under her direction, I was able to grow and bloom as the family physician that I am today. Her love and dedication to the medical profession has always been inspiring and with her as my role model, I could only continue following her path on my quest for excellence." Dr. Dominguez is also an assistant professor of Clinical Family Medicine at UIC.
The back-story of her achievement is a deep commitment to the health and wellness of women and children. Her friend and former roommate, Barbara Burke Johns '72, says, "Beth elected family practice as her specialty in order to know and better serve patients in all life stages. She recognized the need for primary care physicians at a time when most medical students were choosing higher paying specialties."
Five years ago, Beth left Chicago for North Dakota, where she is a tenured professor at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences in Grand Forks and an elected member of the university's graduate faculty. She also treats patients at the UND Student Health Services Clinic and is director of the ND Women's Health Center of Excellence in Women's Health Region VIII Demonstration Project. She completed the Bishop/ACE Fellowship Program in academic administration and leadership in 2005.
Richards was asked by Governor James Blanchard to serve as his scheduler in his first gubernatorial campaign. Upon his election, she became an executive office administrator and, subsequently, human services adviser. During his second term, Richards was appointed to serve as director of legislative relations for the Department of Social Services, where she influenced state-wide policy on issues relating to housing, homelessness, mental health, and Native Americans.
In 1991 she left the department and worked on developing Smart Start, the first community-based elementary school health center in Genesee County. Smart Start became a nationally recognized model and was featured in "Together We Can," a publication produced by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of Education.
In addition to Richard's professional accomplishments, she has been an active volunteer, too. Over the years she has volunteered at Alternatives For Girls, the Coalition on Temporary Shelter, and Focus Hope in Detroit. She has been actively involved with the League of Women Voters for over 30 years and has served in many leadership roles. Currently she serves on the board of directors for the Father Clement Kern Foundation in Detroit and chairs the committee overseeing the grant award process.
Richards is a member of the Women and Girls Fund Advisory Council, a grant-making committee of the Community Foundation of Greater Flint. She also has participated in numerous fundraising efforts such as the American Cancer Society drives, the March of Dimes, asthma walks, and she makes regular blood donations to the American Red Cross. She and her daughter Katie walked in the Avon Three-Day Breast Cancer Walk, raising $5,000 for the cause.
For the past 13 years, Richards has worked at Mott Children's Health Center, a non-profit organization that serves the health needs of children of less fortunate families in the Flint area. In this capacity she works directly with the president and its board of directors to develop outreach and communications programs for the health center.
"Libby has a way of watching over, caring for, being concerned about, keeping in touch with, and respecting the worth and dignity of all people, especially those she loves," says her friend, Susan Babel Willis '64.
"Libby has demonstrated over the years that she is not a dabbler. She is committed to anything that she's affiliated with," says friend and former classmate, Yvonne Lawrence Larabell '64.
In spite of her many professional accomplishments, Richards is still most proud of her family. "Together with my husband, I have raised two thoughtful, loving, accomplished children whose family lives are grounded in Christian values and church/community involvement," she said. "Their contributions to family, church and community is my investment in a more committed and caring society."
Woods is the force behind the excellent participation of MotorCity employees in recent projects such as community clean-up when more than 100 volunteers partnered with business and civic groups to tackle 25 sites throughout the city that were contributing to blight.
In 1943, just after graduating from St. Mary Academy on the campus of the IHM Motherhouse in Monroe, Michigan, Janice Soleau took a step of only a few blocks to enter the IHM community, to the dismay of her family. Looking back, Sister Jan remarks that at the time she had no idea of the opportunities she would have as an IHM Sister but she felt called. Not only has she gone from the distinctive blue woolen IHM habit that covered everything but hands and face to smart pastel attire - "It's cheerful"-but she also has been a teacher, writer, vocation director, campus minister, counselor, fund raiser and, especially, a warm friend during her rich career.
After her initial formation, Sister Jan (then known as Sister Nivard) went off to teach school, working on her bachelor's degree at Marygrove during summers for 17 years. Later she earned a Master's in Education from Wayne State University and also studied at Marymount College and the University of Chicago.
Recognizing the need, Sister Jan wrote a Mass Book for Children that made the Latin words understandable to them. The book was widely used in Catholic schools. Sister taught at Detroit schools-Gesu, St. Cecelia and St. Francis de Sales-and was a founding sister at St. Regis, Birmingham. She is especially remembered as principal of St. Gerard's Elementary in Kirkwood, Missouri. Former students, who still refer to her as Mother Nivard, sent her airline tickets to attend their 50th anniversary celebration, and again this year to attend the dedication of a new wing on the school.
During the late 1960s, Sister Jan was asked to take on the role of IHM Vocation Director and then of Interim Candidate Director, working with young women in the initial stages of religious life during a time of real challenge.
Her next stop was a more secular venue when she joined the campus ministry team at Wayne State University. For 13 years she conducted retreats and numerous workshops for young adults helping them mature in their faith. To this day, Sister Jan considers some of these students from that turbulent time among her wide circle of friends.
Sister Jan returned to Marygrove in 1983 to become Alumni Director, a post she held for another 13 years. Renee Ahee '72 recalls that no one had reached out to her to rekindle her involvement with the College until Sister Jan called to ask her to help with the annual alumni "phonathon." Renee saw firsthand how well organized this and other programs were under Sister Jan, "She loved Marygrove and her enthusiasm and hope for the place were contagious." She was both a "fund raiser" and a "friend raiser." Sister Jan allegedly retired but she moved down the hall in Madame Cadillac to work half-time in the Development Department making those one-on-one calls to individuals and companies who could be enlisted to contribute to Marygrove. And then another so-called retirement.
Dr. Glenda D. Price came to Detroit from Atlanta in 1998 to become President of Marygrove. According to Dr. Price, Sister Jan, who no longer worked at Marygrove, took it upon herself to organize luncheons, accompany her to visit elderly alumni, fill her in on people she was likely to meet and share engaging stories about the College. Dr. Price says, "She went out of her way to be helpful. She wanted me to succeed as well as the College to prosper...No institution has a better ambassador than Sister Jan Soleau, IHM."
Now at age 86, Sister Jan is more than busy. She is a volunteer for elementary school children at "Epiphany Center" in Detroit and visits clients of "Compassionate Companions," an organization established by IHM sisters who act as legal guardians for those who can no longer manage their affairs because of physical or mental infirmity. She even spends a few hours two days a week as the receptionist at an acupuncture office. Sister Jan is also an active member of two IHM committees, Undoing Racism and HIV/AIDS and is an "armchair activist" for peace and justice causes.
Sister Jan had to hang up her tennis racquet due to a troublesome leg but she is an avid follower of tennis on television. She appreciates poetry and writes some as well. According to many friends, Sister Jan never met a stranger and can make a friend in the elevator of a two-story building.
Governor Jennifer Granholm, referring to her youngest child's experience at his graduation from the sixth grade at MCH wrote, "My husband and I have been thrilled to see Jack grow in traditional academic skills as well as gain a broader view of the world. He has developed a sense that he belongs and that the world is his to make better - thanks to the nurturing and respectful learning environment fostered by Suzanne Husband."
Kaiser joined Gamaliel Foundation, an organization known for rigorous training in community organizing with a faith-based approach. Her particular mission as a community organizer has been to improve funding for education in the State of Illinois.
Job Titles:
- President, State Board of Education
Mark Honeyman '85, challenges his West Hills Middle School students to, "Be crazy enough to believe you can change the world and then go ahead and do it." He credits Marygrove for helping him incorporate that belief into his own life. Mark spent his first year of college at Michigan State University lost in a sea of 45,000 students, eventually dropping out, with diminished prospects. Marygrove was the one college that was willing to take a chance on him. He has repaid that trust by becoming an outstanding educator, as evidenced by the tributes of his peers, students and administrators.
He also credits one of his professors, Lynn Schaefer, for suggesting that he obtain teacher certification to augment his double major of music and English. "With my first education class, Adolescent Psychology, I knew I had found my mission," says Mark. Mark speaks further about the many leadership opportunities and inspiring instruction at Marygrove. He says he loved the cultural diversity, the richness and intimacy, the nurturing and challenging that altered the course of his life.
Mark teaches English to every eighth grade student in his Bloomfield Hills school, about 130 each year. According to Edward Bretzlaff, Assistant Superintendent for Instruction, hundreds of his students have won writing awards in local, state, national and international contests, earning more than $35,000 in savings bonds since 2002. Through their reading and research, Mark helps develop empathy and caring among the students, who have collected 7,000-plus books to distribute to those in need. His classes also contributed $3,000 for medical relief in Ethiopia after learning of the terrible conditions there. Students, moved to discover the extent of modern-day human slavery in Africa and Asia as well as in the United States, raised more than $13,000-the largest non-corporate contribution ever made to Free the Slaves, a Washington, D.C.-based anti-slavery organization. One student wrote a play, staged it and brought in $2,000 toward the fund. Other students created a community forum presenting poems, speeches, songs and art, and earned another $6,000.
For 26 years Mark has devoted himself to engaging his Bloomfield Hills students in learning-- the first ten years at Andover High School and the balance at West Hills Middle School. His wife, Mary (Amore) Honeyman, is also a valued member of the West Hills eighth grade core academic team, teaching state-mandated units such as health, technology and careers. Due, in part, to his leadership, West Hills became the first International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme school in Michigan. Mark has been an ongoing member of the steering committee. Some components include: communication, community service and international mindedness. Through class projects, his students put their knowledge of literature and world events into action. Outside the classroom, Mark and Mary formed a club-Count Me In-to reduce bullying and increase understanding among students.
His students are required to read 20 books a year from at least eight different genres to avoid having them focus only on teen series' books. Mark prides himself on being available to his students, before and after school, during lunch hour and by email. He spends about two hours each night answering email queries and concerns from students current and past. It is no surprise that Mark was named Oakland County Middle School Teacher of the Year in 2004.
While at Andover High School, Mark chaired the CARE team, an organization that provided food and other essentials to needy families. As a director of nine musicals and plays, and as forensics coach, Mark inspired his students to perform at award-winning levels, including seven state forensics championships.
As a college student, Mark sang with Marygrove's chorale and chamber singers. He was president of the chorale during their inaugural choir tour to Ireland and Wales. Mark has been a conductor and soloist with multiple church choral groups. He taught choral music for several years at West Hills but music education is no longer a part of his course load.
He is also a volunteer with Big Brothers/Big Sisters and mentors a seventh grade boy. Mark brings him to sporting events, movies, helps with homework and offers friendship and counsel wherever possible.
Mark served as chair of the Marygrove Education Advisory Committee, a volunteer organization formed to strengthen the College's teacher preparation program.
Mary Jo White '69 writes that Sue has always been a hands-on administrator and has been committed to promoting racial and ethnic diversity and understanding. Mary Jo recalls, "Children feel at home at MCH. I remember my own son, then about four years old, talking in the car as we drove past the school one day. ‘That's my school,' he said, ‘and I feel as if it's smiling at me.'" Parents have commented that their children transition well into regular school and are very sensitive to others and to the traditions of other cultures and religions. As an example, Elva Revilla says that a young Dominican Republic boy her family hosted for surgery, wished to study in the United States, so with Sue's help, he was enrolled at Montessori and thrived as he learned English as well as traditional academics. He now has a degree in Business Administration from Grand Valley State and has begun graduate studies. He will return home, enriched by his experience. Sue expanded the educational program to include experiential learning by participating in programs such as Meals on Wheels and Habitat for Humanity. The school had a regular ‘Meals' route every other week. On each delivery day a couple of the children would accompany an MCH staff person to the homes of about ten housebound people. The students who participated in ‘Habitat,' with the guidance of one of the carpenters, learned basic woodworking and were able to apply their new skills into actual on-the-job carpentry. They also painted, poured concrete and did landscaping. The kids were delighted to attend the ceremony turning the house over to the new owner. Through these experiences and other field work, their classroom and interpersonal skills were developed.
Meg Connolly was an example of compassion, competence and commitment even before she graduated from Marygrove in 1967.
"She was outspoken, in the best sense of the word, about everything, but in particular about the myriad social inequities spawned by racial discrimination," said Sharon Rodgers Simone '67. "I admired her and was a little bit scared by her insights into social injustice. It would take me a few years to see what she already saw in the social structures we were all embedded in. In this regard, she was a leader and a role model for me and many other fellow Marygrovers. She still is."
Nurtured by the testimony of the Civil Rights movement, Connolly recognized early in life that her passion was justice, and has tirelessly pursued it for those less privileged.
"Marygrove nourished my passion for social justice," Connolly said. "The message was, 'No matter how hard you and your families have to work to have you here, you are fortunate to be here and by virtue of that you must give back, you must contribute to the world."
Taking that message to heart, Connolly has been giving back ever since. In 1985 she became the executive director of the Volunteer Lawyers Project (VLP) of the Boston Bar Association. Under Connolly's direction, VLP has recruited, trained and coordinated more than 1000 private attorneys to provide free legal services to the poor. With her guidance, VLP has become one of the nation's preeminent organizations providing pro bono legal services for such basic needs as health care, housing and domestic relations.
"Meg has always been a leader insightful, committed with a gift for expressing her ideas in an inspiring and convincing manner," said Anne Fitzgerald, Connolly's Marygrove classmate, colleague and friend. "Since her early career days servicing impoverished legal clients in the federally funded Legal Assistance Program, Meg has demonstrated a concern and compassion for those without access. She has dedicated her life to making sure they receive the legal services they need."
Connolly's exemplary career as a public servant spans more than three decades. After graduating cum laude from Marygrove in 1967, she earned her law degree from Boston College Law School in 1970.
From that time on she zealously pursued social justice for all. Connolly says it was her sense of outrage that gave her the patience to remain in legal services work for 33 years.
She began her career as a legal services lawyer working as a housing attorney in the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute at Self Help, Inc. in Brockton. During her tenure, she represented public housing tenant organizations and successfully petitioned the Brockton City Council to adopt a Fitness Ordinance, ensuring that low-income renters would have habitable housing certified by inspectors.
In 1973 she became regional counsel to the Office of Economic Opportunity/ Community Services Administration in Boston. In 1976 she became deputy regional director of the Legal Services Corporation of the Boston Regional Office, where she worked with more than 100 evaluation teams to review legal services programs all over the country.
Representative Jackson has served as Associate Speaker Pro Tempore of the House for four years and Executive Vice-Chair of the Michigan Legislative Black Caucus. She is a member of the Appropriations Committee and serves on several sub-committees. To keep in touch with voters, Representative Jackson holds frequent meet and greet sessions throughout her district at such locations as the farmers' market and recreation centers. She also meets individually with constituents who have either a business or personal problem and makes every effort to find a solution for them.
At the Red Cross, Sheila is a volunteer but, for a change of pace, not as a nurse. She does data input, envelope stuffing pretty much anything she is asked to do in the Communications/Marketing department.
Job Titles:
- Chief Financial Officer
- Education Coordinator and Economic Analyst for NETWORK
- Professor of Economics
Amata Miller holds a passionate belief that economics should be used as a tool for social justice, equity and fairness underscores Sister Amata Miller's teaching and her professional choices over the course of the five decades of her career. To that end, she has worn many hats at Marygrove College, within the IHM order, in the world of economists, academics and in the agencies advocating for social and economic justice.
Sister Amata says that helping the people she has taught in classes and workshops over the years become agents of social justice has been a lifelong quest. Michigan Supreme Court Justice Maura Corrigan, Class of 1969, said in her nomination letter, "Sister Amata had the most profound influence on me of any teacher in my life. She opened worlds of knowledge to us and offered a firm commitment to scholarship and rationality in this often chaotic world." Another former student, Carol Litka, '72, who is now a financial advisor with a major brokerage firm, recalls, "Sister Amata inspired me and gave me the confidence for the later choices I made."
In 1976, Sister Amata left the classroom to become the Financial Vice President of the IHM congregation, an elected post she held for 12 years. During this time, she continued her teaching through lectures and workshops on economic justice and financial matters to many religious congregations and national groups. As a Marygrove Trustee, she served on the Finance Committee helping to guide the College through a difficult financial period. Expressing the IHM social justice commitment through socially responsible investing, she was active in filing shareholder resolutions and at shareholder meetings of Detroit Edison out of concern for safety at the Monroe Fermi II nuclear reactor site. Continuing the congregation's efforts to provide for members' retirement needs, she fostered fund-raising and congregational saving for the future. She also assisted other religious congregations with these efforts and worked for the upgrading of compensation of women religious in Michigan.
Moving to the national scene, Sister Amata became Education Coordinator and economic analyst for NETWORK: A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby in Washington, D.C., serving from 1988 to 1994. She continues to serve as an adjunct staff member.
Returning to Michigan, this time as Chief Financial Officer of Marygrove College, Sister Amata established, reaffirmed and enforced policies regarding payment of tuition, distribution of student financial aid, allocation of the college budget and investment of the endowment. She collaborated with administrators, staff and faculty from various departments, was fair in the application of policies and never too busy to meet with students or others.
Sister Amata has also served as a Professor of Economics at St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas. Currently, she is a Professor of Economics and Director of the Myser Initiative in Catholic Identity at the College of St. Catherine in St. Paul, Minnesota. She teaches "Economics of Social Issues" and works to infuse among faculty and staff a deepened respect for and appreciation of the Catholic identity of the College.She also teaches the two Economics courses in Marygrove's Master's of Social Justice Program.
For the past 25 years, Sister Amata has written and lectured extensively on economic justice issues, Catholic social teaching and socially responsible investing through-out the United States and abroad. In her statements, she has not shied away from topics such as the economics of the war in Iraq.
She has served on the boards of Shorebank Corporation in Chicago, Catholic Health Initiatives in Denver, Catholic Health Audit in St. Louis, and the Minnesota Center for Health Care Ethics in Minneapolis. She is currently Board Chair of Global Health Initiatives in Denver and is a Trustee of St. Edward's University in Austin and of the SSIHM Charitable Trust in Monroe.
Sister Amata earned a Doctorate in Economics from the University of California at Berkeley where she won a Woodrow Wilson Fellowship and a Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellowship. She earned a Master's in Economics at St. Louis University.
A classical music lover, Sister Amata listens to music on the radio and finds "...my spirit calmed by its cadences." She does crossword puzzles for fun and enjoys visiting with her two sisters and friends.
"Marygrove was an influence in my life long before I knew an IHM or even saw the campus. Our parents told my sister (Patricia Fleming Donaldson '51) and me from the time we were old enough to understand that we were going to college and not just any college. Only Marygrove would be good enough," recalls Suzanne M. Fleming, IHM, who was born the year the College opened in Detroit.
Fifty years ago, Suzanne M. Fleming, IHM confirmed their hopes and received her Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from Marygrove as Sister Mary Albert. She then earned a Master of Science degree in inorganic chemistry in 1960 and a Ph.D. in 1963 in inorganic chemistry with cognates in mathematics and physics, both at the University of Michigan. She had already embarked on what has been a very distinguished career in the academic world.
From 1962 until 1980, Sue held positions of increasing responsibility and challenge at Marygrove, first as a faculty member in the chemistry department moving through the academic ranks from instructor to professor. She participated in the curricular revision of general education that eventually led to the "Three-Three Plan." Students took three courses each term for three terms. She also initiated the formation of the Division of Natural Science and Mathematics and became its chairperson. With the aid of several grants, Sue began a research program involving undergraduates. A paper published in Inorganic Chemistry in 1972 with two Marygrove undergraduates was seminal in that it led to a new area of research in the field of positively charged phosphorous cations.
From 1975 to 1980, Sue was the academic vice president and dean of the College. During her tenure, she coordinated the 1977 North Central Accreditation as well as the report for the National Council of Accreditation of Teacher Education and the report for the Council on Social Work Education. Sue established a grants office and wrote the first Title III grant application, which resulted in a $1,000,000 award over three years.
Next, Sue ventured "off campus" to Eastern Michigan University where from 1980 to 1983 she first held the position of assistant vice president for academic affairs and then acting associate vice president for academic affairs. One of her major duties in these positions was oversight of the Office of International Projects, which involved dealing with the United States Agency of International Development and site visits to the Yemen Arab Republic and Swaziland. Anthony H. Evans, then EMU provost, says, "Dr. Fleming shared our sense of educational mission abroad and worked magnificently both on campus and overseas to provide the highest educational services of the university." While at EMU, she was selected to receive the 1983 Distinguished Service Award of the American Chemical Society.
She was next appointed provost and academic vice president at Western Illinois University in 1983. The university was facing a major reduction in faculty. With her associate and assistant provosts, Sue developed a faculty retraining program to move faculty from overstaffed to understaffed departments resulting in no lay-offs. Sue also initiated a policy that provided for growth in WIU's program in the Quad cities area. In endorsing Sue's contributions, former WIU Dean Edward Booth wrote, "The rescue of Western Illinois University and two decades of academic and financial stability rest on the shoulders of an innovative, competent, compassionate leader with a commitment to excellence."
From 1986 to 1989, Sue was the vice chancellor at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, serving as a liaison between the University and the UW system personnel and other vice chancellors. She was also responsible for program development, tenure management, research oversight and budgetary oversight. She retired in 1989.
Job Titles:
- General Counsel & Corporate Secretary of the Automobile Protection Corporation
Virginia is the current and first African American President of the 790 member Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC), Georgia Chapter. With a membership of 28,000, ACC has chapters in every state and is the world's largest organization serving the professional and business interests of attorneys who practice in the legal departments of corporations, associations and other private sector organizations around the globe.
Job Titles:
- Retired Mobility Instructor for the Detroit Board of Education
Wilma Seelye, a retired Mobility Instructor for the Detroit Board of Education, remarked, "I observed her compassion for the students as what we had in common. These children were extremely impaired yet her tenderness and concern filled the room. Her ability to understand the parents' anguish was palpable. Her compassion triggered many departmental changes to improve the education for all the visually impaired students."
Job Titles:
- Assistant for Both Dr. Sally Welch