Every year during Homecoming celebrations, Michigan State University honors alumni for their extraordinary achievements and dedication to the university.
Three College of Education alumni are among the honorees that will be recognized at the MSU Alumni Grand Awards Gala on Oct. 19, 2017.
Alumni Service Award
This honor celebrates those who have dedicated themselves through service to the university or public sectors.
Donald W. Maine
Donald W. Maine, B.A. ’65 (Elementary Education) and M.A. ’71 (Reading Instruction), will be recognized for his impact to the West Michigan community. In addition to serving on several boards in the region, “Maine was critical in partnership with Grand Action in raising $40 million for the Secchia Center in Grand Rapids,” said MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon.
He was a 1999 recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award from the MSU Alumni Association, and received an honorary doctorate in 2016 from the College of Human Medicine.
Maine served as chancellor and president of Davenport University from 1977-2000. He led the unification of three colleges across the state to become one university, moved the institution from offering only associate degree programs to a fully accredited university offering undergraduate and graduate degrees and introduced online education to Davenport.
Maine has a planned gift that will benefit the Colleges of Education and Human Medicine. The Donald W. Maine Endowed Graduate Fellowship Fund in Higher Education Administration will support a graduate fellowship in the Higher, Adult and Lifelong Education (HALE) program.
Learn more about Maine’s impact at MSU and in his community.
Midge & Michael Morrow
Margaret “Midge,“ B.A. ’72 (Education) and Michael Morrow, B.S. ’72 (Social Science), are also recipients of the award, celebrating their commitment to MSU and beyond. Midge served in and volunteered for the Detroit and Walled Lake communities as an educator for many years. Since graduating from MSU, Michael has served in a variety of alumni capacities: he was part of the College of Social Science Alumni and the MSU Alumni Association Board of Directors. He currently is on the College of Social Science’s Board of Visitors.
Together, the Morrows are active volunteers and dedicated philanthropists. They have donated and pledged more than $300,000 in support of campus initiatives that support students, such as the Social Science Scholars Charlie Waller Endowed Scholarship Fund, the 4-H Children’s Gardens and the Michael and Margaret Endowed Student Enrichment Fund in the College of Music.
Young Alumni Award
This recognition celebrates those who have distinguished themselves with a high level of accomplishment early in their careers.
Kaleb Thornhill
Kaleb Thornhill, M.S. ’09 (Kinesiology), was a celebrated part of the Spartan football team during his time at MSU. He was elected team captain in 2007 and was a four-time Academic All-Big Ten selection.
Thornhill is co-founder and executive director of operations for APEX Academy. The organization aims to assist under-resourced student-athletes to leverage characteristics and lessons learned in sports and apply them outside of the game. Co-created with a fellow MSU alumnus, APEX Academy provides young men with access to education, mentorship and leadership development opportunities.
He is also the director of player engagement for the Miami Dolphins. In this role, he challenges the athletes to be lifelong learners and to pursue continuous improvements in their family and social life, personal growth and career development during and beyond their career in the NFL.
Photos courtesy of University Advancement at Michigan State University.