Marilyn Amey, a professor of higher, adult and lifelong education and a former chairperson for the Department of Educational Administration, died on November 5, 2025.
Amey was also the Dr. Mildred B. Erickson Distinguished Chair in Higher, Adult and Lifelong Education (2017-2020). More recently, she served as the assistant provost for the MSU Office of Faculty and Academic Staff Development. Amey was with the College of Education from 1997 until her passing.
Amey’s research centered around understanding how leaders learn, and analyzing educational partnerships, particularly those in community colleges.
“Marilyn contributed significant scholarly work that advanced knowledge and practice through her writing and editorial roles, especially focusing on leadership in higher education, teamwork and collaboration, the important contributions and issues associated with community colleges and the experiences of women administrators,” University Distinguished Professor Ann Austin shared. “Yet the core of her work could be summarized as supporting others to do their work—whether she was guiding her graduate students (who loved her), leading the Department of Educational Administration as its chairperson for many years, or designing and offering professional development opportunities to administrators and leaders across MSU.”
Throughout her remarkable career, Amey authored and coedited numerous publications and books on leadership in higher education. She also served on several committees, including the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE) Publications Committee.
“Dr. Marilyn Amey was a significant figure in the study of higher education and a deeply respected leader within the Michigan State University College of Education,” shared Dean Jerlando F. L. Jackson, who worked alongside Amey for many years as part of the ASHE Publications Committee. “Her scholarship and mentorship shaped generations of higher education leaders and researchers, particularly through her long-standing engagement with the Association for the Study of Higher Education.”
Amey contributed to many books as a writer, editor or reviewer, including serving as co-editor for the “SAGE International Encyclopedia of Higher Education” (2020, Sage Publications) and “Beginning Your Journey: A Guide for New Professionals in Student Affairs” (2019, NASPA: Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education), and co-writer for “Creating Strategic Partnerships: A Guide for Educational Institutions and their Partners” (2014, Routledge).
Amey earned multiple prestigious awards, including the MSU Crystal Apple Award for Excellence in Education (2004), College of Education Teaching Excellence in Education Award (2006), ASHE Distinguished Service Award (2015), National Association of Student Personnel Administrators Pillar of the Profession (2017), and an MSU Outstanding Supervisor Award (2025).
Those who knew Amey admired her kindness, generosity and exemplary leadership.
Dean Jackson recalled his experience with Amey’s leadership: “I saw firsthand her brilliance, integrity and quiet generosity. She combined exacting scholarship with a genuine spirit of encouragement that elevated everyone around her.”
In 2021, Amey collaborated with two alums to establish the Marilyn J. Amey Scholarship Endowment Fund for graduate students. As part of the endowment agreement, the alums recognized Amey as an “invaluable resource” throughout their graduate studies.
Austin shared: “Marilyn’s compassion, humility and dedication to helping others succeed were hallmarks of her distinctive contributions to Michigan State and the broader higher education field. So many of us will miss her deeply, but will remember and be inspired by the way she enriched the lives of many students, faculty and staff at Michigan State and beyond.”
To learn more about the Marilyn J. Amey Scholarship Endowment Fund, contact our Office of Development & Alumni Relations at educdev@msu.edu, or consider making a donation today.