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Donor Stories
- Georgia Lee Metcalfe Endowed Scholarship
- Nicole Jennings
- Louella Bradley Endowed Scholarship
- Deloris Jordan Phillips
- Jacqueline L. Wylie – The Loren E. and Nellie M. Clark Nursing Scholarship
- Barbara J. Hemphill Endowment for Student Professional Development and Barbara Jo Hemphill Endowed Student Book Fund
- Shirley N. Sparks - The Shirley N. Sparks Faculty Endowment Fund
- Dr. Robert L. Erickson: Dr. Robert L. Erickson Award for Excellence in the Study of Speech Sciences
- The George and Beatrice Fisher Gerontology Dissertation Prize
- Leonard and Frances A. Gernant Gerontology Scholarship Fund
- John D. Malamazian Endowed Memorial Scholarship Fund in Blind Rehabilitation
- Whitney Young Scholar Award
- Rosalia A. Kiss-Schwem Occupational Therapy Faculty Endowment Improvement Fund
- Charlene Cove Russell
- Lessie Mae Terrell
- Gayle Strutz Memorial Endowed Scholarship
Georgia Lee Metcalfe Endowed Scholarship
Georgia Lee Metcalfe enjoyed working with people. “She actually lived her job,” says her mother Vera Metcalfe. “That’s one of the reasons she got into occupational therapy.”
Georgia was a certified teacher and earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental science from Grand Valley State University. For a time, she traveled to Wisconsin and other states, working with a parks program. Soon, however, she discovered that her greatest pleasure came from working with people.
Following that proclivity, Georgia decided to pursue a degree in occupational therapy (OT) through a correspondence course offered by WMU. In 1988, she returned to WMU’s Kalamazoo campus and completed her Master’s of Science in OT there.
She began her OT career at Three Rivers Hospital, where she demonstrated her gift for helping transform people’s lives from broken to whole. “She helped one young man who was totally incapacitated, and worked with him until he was able to move into his own apartment,” her mother recalled. “She would figure out how she could help people by using her skills to reconfigure equipment, which made life easier for her clients.”
Georgia passed away in 2007, leaving a legacy of caring and dedication among all of those whose lives she touched, especially her husband, Bob Davidson. She also lives on in the Georgia Lee Metcalfe Endowed Scholarship, established by her mother in 2010 to memorialize her daughter and the spirit of her work.
“We were very close,” says Mrs. Metcalfe, “and I thought a scholarship might be something Georgia would approve of because she liked the work so well.” She adds, “I would hope that it would go to someone who was dedicated to the field of OT and needed funds to help them along.”
Nicole Jennings
When Nicole Jennings discusses her passion for nursing, she recalls her upbringing in Kalamazoo, Michigan and the values that have shaped her life. “I was raised by my grandmother,” says Jennings. “Although we did not always have the best of everything, she was willing to do whatever she could to help someone else that may have had a greater need than our own. She planted a seed of service to mankind in my spirit.” Those early life-lessons have become part of Jennings own personal and professional philosophy.
After graduating from high school, Jennings attended Michigan State University for one year. She transferred to Western Michigan University (WMU) where she earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing in 2006. According to Jennings, that’s when she began her mission of helping others by empowering people through education.
The Nicole Jennings Scholarship was created to assist students who have a drive to help those who may need someone to intercede on their behalf. Through it, more individuals will graduate from WMU with the knowledge and power that nurses acquire, and use it to create positive change.
Jennings hopes recipients of the scholarship will be most impacted by her mission of service to all mankind. “I believe,” says Jennings, “when we find someone with a basic need in life, as nurses, it’s our job to assist that person the best way we know how. Assistance can come from doing research to find better drug protocols for diabetics to doing volunteer work in the community.”
She adds, “I think it’s important to let the recipient know that graduating with a nursing degree does not confine one to a hospital or clinical setting. A true nursing professional is able to adapt to any situation, to use the skills and knowledge they are taught to be of value wherever they decide to work.”
Louella Bradley Endowed Scholarship
Founded in 1897, Psi Iota Xi (PIX) is a charitable organization supporting communities in the fields of speech and hearing, art, music, and literature. The organization brings together a network of friends who help meet others’ cultural, educational, social, or financial needs in a variety of ways. Currently, 135 PIX chapters are operating in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Kentucky.
Since 1969, the PIX Eta Omicron chapter in Kalamazoo, Mich. has supported the field of speech pathology and audiology with donations to Western Michigan University’s (WMU) Van Riper Speech Clinic and WMU’s College of Health and Human Services Speech Pathology and Audiology department. This year, PIX Eta Omicron has chosen to support WMU by establishing an endowment in honor of one of its most admired members, Louella Bradley.
Members of PIX Eta Omicron say Bradley’s love and joy shine in whatever she does. They believe her dedication, enthusiasm and never-ending efforts have helped lead their chapter in its service to others. Bradley served as the first president in 1969 and has continued to lead the chapter as well as serving as president of the PIX state organization. Members note that Louella tells it as it is, is a great problem solver, and is always willing to serve and to learn.
The Psi Iota Xi Louella Bradley Endowed Scholarship will benefit graduate students in the WMU Speech Pathology and Audiology Department.
Deloris Jordan Phillips
Deloris Jordan Phillips was dedicated to building relationships and giving people opportunities.
Phillips joined the faculty of Western Michigan University in 1972 where she served as an instructor and adviser in the School of Social Work (SSWK). She retired as an associate professor in 1996.
“She was a tough teacher,” says SSWK professor Dr. Gary Matthews. “She believed in helping people push themselves and rise to new levels. She did not believe in special treatment. Students would complain about how hard she was, but would return later in life and thank her for what she taught them.”
As a leader in social work, Phillips believed in quality and professionalism in the field, and that anyone could achieve success if given the chance. Her commitment to excellence in education led her to cofound the Whitney M. Young Jr. Scholars Program, an annual event designed to recognize outstanding social work students and bring in national speakers.
“Once in a meeting,” states Matthews, “A gentleman was discussing how heads of the social work department were gatekeepers of the profession and how it’s important to keep people out who are not qualified. Phillips stated that it is true that we should be gatekeepers, but we also need to be bridge-builders—give people that are marginal a chance to improve themselves.”
Phillips was also passionate about race relations and community service. She was a member of the Salt & Pepper group, which brought African Americans and Caucasians together to discuss race issues, and was a volunteer leader in various community organizations including the YWCA of Kalamazoo and the Metropolitan Kalamazoo Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). She received numerous service awards including the STAR Awards’ Irving S. Gilmore Lifetime Achievement Award; the YWCA’s Genevieve U. Gilmore Volunteer Leadership Award and the NAACP Humanitarian Award among others.
The Delores Jordan Phillips Scholarship was established in 1997 by former WMU President Diether H. Haenicke to honor her 24 years of service to the College of Health and Human Services, the University and the Kalamazoo community. To carry on the legacy of her work, her husband Dr. Romeo E. Phillips continues to raise money for the endowment.
Jacqueline L. Wylie – The Loren E. and Nellie M. Clark Nursing Scholarship
Jacqueline L. Wylie is dedicated to the nursing field. “I love nursing,” says Wylie, “I had a passion for becoming an educator and being able to support nursing students.”
Wylie earned a B.S. degree with a biology major, an M.A. in communications from Western Michigan University and a Master of Science in Nursing from Wayne State University. Her enthusiasm for the profession led to positions as Director of Bronson School of Nursing and a faculty specialist II at WMU.
During Wylie’s career, she led by example and positively influenced the lives of many students. “I had these students,” she says, “who needed more, but received less. They needed more than education; they needed a mentor to help them. Some kids didn’t have boot straps. Nobody does it on their own.” This insight, along with Wylie’s deep desire to see people achieve their goals, led her to establish an endowment that helps students overcome some of these challenges.
In 2001, she created The Loren E. and Nellie M. Clark Nursing Scholarship, named in honor of her parents, who encouraged her to pursue her dreams. She saw nursing as a great opportunity for people to succeed, including those from under-represented or culturally disadvantaged groups. Through offering scholarships to others, she wanted to pass that gift along.
Wylie feels that with scholarship money, individuals become more responsible for their own destinies; there’s a greater chance for success if they can study more and worry less about finances. She also believes that charity begins at home. “I wanted to be a model for my family,” she states, “Helping them to see the importance of giving, that our finances extend beyond family.” She adds, “We need to stand tall with everyone. We don’t do well if the community doesn’t do well. We are all connected.”
Barbara J. Hemphill Endowment for Student Professional Development and Barbara Jo Hemphill Endowed Student Book Fund
Commitment to occupational therapy (OT) and dedication to integrating the practices of OT with those of mental health make Barbara J. Hemphill-Pearson a maverick in the profession.
Hemphill earned a bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy from the University of Iowa, a master’s degree from Colorado State University and a Doctor of Ministry from Ecumenical Theological Seminary in Detroit, Mich. During her career, she practiced OT and taught as an assistant professor at Cleveland State University (CSU) and an associate professor at Western Michigan University (WMU).
“One thing that is most important,” says Hemphill, “is you have to have a mission. From the time I was a student, I had a commitment to the profession.” She is also passionate about the relationship between mental health and OT. She believes it’s a neglected area of research, despite the fact that psychological disorders can greatly impact physical function—a primary concern of OT.
While at CSU and WMU, Hemphill promoted student attendance at OT conferences. “Whenever I can,” says Hemphill, “I encourage students to get to a conference, present and share their experience with others. I try to encourage this because I think it is an important part of being a professional.”
In 2006, Hemphill established the Barbara J. Hemphill Endowment for Student Professional Development and the Barbara Jo Hemphill Endowed Student Book Fund. She says the inherent goal of the scholarships is to encourage commitment to the profession, which begins at the student level and continues throughout an individual’s professional life. The endowments support students who attend conferences, encourage research in mental health and assist with educational expenses.
Today, she continues to practice OT in Kalamazoo, present at conferences and publish books and articles in professional literature. Hemphill’s expertise has led to the recent government appointment to the Michigan Board of Occupational Therapy.
Shirley N. Sparks Faculty Endowment Fund
Shirley N. Sparks attended the University of Iowa. Initially, she wanted to be a theatre major, but after her first reading, she knew that wasn’t the path she wanted to take. After joining a sorority in which several girls were Speech Pathology majors, she discovered that that profession was a cross between education and medicine and fell in love with it.
She graduated with a B.A. in Speech Pathology and moved to New Orleans. There, she held various jobs as a speech-language pathologist, raised a family, and received an M.A. degree from Tulane University. When the family moved to Omaha, she taught part time at the University of Nebraska for four years.
In 1976, the family moved again, this time to Battle Creek, Mich. She contacted then Western Michigan University (WMU) Speech Pathology and Audiology Chair Frank Robinson. He hired her as a supervisor of students, and she ultimately became a tenured Speech Pathology and Audiology associate professor until her early retirement in 1991. “Frank took a chance on me and I have always been grateful,” she says. That same year, Sparks and her family relocated to California where she continues to practice her vocation today.
During her career, Sparks noted the importance of staying abreast of developments in the field of Speech Pathology by attending and participating in the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA) annual convention and other professional meetings. “When I was on the faculty,” says Sparks, “There was very little money for travel to attend meetings or to present papers at meetings.” In appreciation for her colleagues and her 15 years on the WMU faculty, she created the Shirley N. Sparks Faculty Endowment Fund in 1993.
Sparks has a heart for Speech Pathology. “I’ve done this for 40 years,” she says, “and it has been a wonderful career.” Currently, she works as an adjunct professor of Early Childhood Special Education at Santa Clara University and has been a home visiting speech-language pathologist. She co-authored the recently released book The Art and Practice of Home Visiting: Early Intervention for Special Needs Children and Families.
She is delighted that her endowment has helped colleagues attend professional meetings and, over the years, she has received letters and emails from faculty members who appreciate her gift.
Dr. Robert L. Erickson Award for Excellence in the Study of Speech Sciences
The late Robert L. Erickson, Ph.D. valued hard work, honesty, intellect and family. For more than three decades, he was on the frontlines of transforming students into exceptional practitioners of speech-language pathology.
Dr. Erickson earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Omaha, a master's degree in speech pathology from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and a doctoral degree from the University of Iowa. Before retiring from Western Michigan University (WMU) in 1997, he served as a professor of speech pathology and audiology there, and, for many years, as chair of the department. He was a strong community leader and received numerous service awards.
As an educator, Dr. Erickson was more than a teacher. He was a friend of and mentor to students, providing them with a foundation of excellence in speech-language pathology. Speaking on behalf of the family, his son Doug Erickson says, “Our father was passionate about diagnosing and treating voice disorders and being an outstanding clinician. He emphasized that a professor's role was not to train students, but to educate them and teach them to think and analyze, which allows them to become exceptional clinicians.”
Dr. Erickson’s visionary approach to his vocation led to the creation of the Voice and Respiration Clinical Laboratory at WMU’s Unified Clinics, and he was also instrumental in establishing and securing funds for the graduate program in speech pathology at WMU.
In 2008, his family and friends established the Robert L. Erickson Award for Excellence in the Study of Speech Sciences to memorialize Dr. Erickson and provide resources for students to attend professional conferences and lectures. His family hopes the scholarship inspires and motivates students by facilitating their interaction with experienced clinicians and experts. This will enhance their education by helping them attend conferences where they can share ideas and hear directly from leaders in the field.
The family continues to raise money for the scholarship because they want to extend awards to as many graduate students as possible.
The George and Beatrice Fisher Gerontology Dissertation Prize
With a large segment of the population aging, an eye on that group has become more focused today than in the past. The late Dr. George and Mrs. Beatrice Fisher, however, saw the need for understanding and meeting the needs of the aging population years ago through their association with Dr. Ellen Page-Robin, head of WMU’s gerontology program. They were strong proponents of developing more gerontology degree programs at Michigan colleges and universities.
Dr. Fisher earned an MBA in Management, an SpA in Business Education, and a Graduate Certificate in Gerontology, all from WMU. He also earned a Ph.D. in Education from The University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. Thereafter, Dr. Fisher joined the Kalamazoo County Committee on Aging and became deeply involved with community service organizations which were senior service oriented.
Mrs. Fisher earned a Master of Arts in Sociology majoring in Counseling and Personnel and later, received a Graduate Certificate in Gerontology from WMU. She was also a leading volunteer in community service organizations and, in 2000, was honored with one of two Distinguished Alumni Awards from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Beatrice Fisher passed away in December 2005.
The Fishers believed in addressing a need before it became a dilemma, and they were acutely aware of the ever expanding needs of older adults. In 1998, they established the George and Beatrice Fisher Gerontology Dissertation Prize, which, according to Dr. Fisher, was created to set the stage for WMU to expand its gerontology curriculum to include a master’s and eventually a doctoral program. The prize fund serves as a fitting memorial to Mrs. Fisher and Dr. Fisher, who passed away in January of 2010.
“Gerontology is not confined to any academic program,” said Dr. Fisher. “It cuts across management, music and many others. Every program they have at WMU, they have a director or a person that was in gerontology. All could impact what the elderly need and should have.”
Leonard and Frances A. Gernant Gerontology Scholarship Fund
Leonard Gernant was a strong proponent of providing quality services for older adults. He built alliances within the community that addressed the needs of aging people and used those partnerships to help establish many senior-oriented organizations including Senior Services, Inc. in Kalamazoo, Mich.
According to the late Helen Coover, long-time senior volunteer, “If it hadn’t been for Leonard, I don’t know when Senior Services would have started. He was the catalyst who got us thinking about services for older people.”
In 1934, Gernant earned a bachelor’s degree from Western Michigan University (WMU) and in 1935 he received a master’s degree from the University of Michigan. He joined the faculty of WMU in 1943 and held numerous posts in which he displayed a far-reaching compassion for people. His daughter Karen Gernant was quoted in the Kalamazoo Gazette as saying, “His door was always open for anyone: a disgruntled staff member, a faculty member having problems with his department, a student who simply saw walls going up who didn’t know where she could go.”
Gernant chaired the committee that founded the WMU College of Health and Human Services and was instrumental in establishing a gerontology minor there. After serving the university for more than 32 years, he retired in 1975.
Over his career, Gernant headed area organizations focused on serving seniors including the Kalamazoo Commission on Aging, and the Michigan Society of Gerontology (MSG). He was also the first executive secretary of the Michigan Commission on Aging, and served as a delegate to White House Conferences on the Aging in 1961 and 1971. Gernant received numerous service awards including the Harry J. Kelley Award from MSG.
In 1975, the Leonard and Frances A. Gernant Gerontology Scholarship Fund was created in his honor to recognize his wish that gerontology have a place at WMU. In 1996, the fund became an endowed scholarship. The award provides funds for individuals dedicated to a career in health and human services with an emphasis on the aging.
John D. Malamazian Endowed Memorial Scholarship Fund in Blind Rehabilitation
In the field of Orientation and Mobility (O&M), the late John D. Malamazian was a fierce advocate of hope, self-determination and dignity for persons with blindness and low vision. “My father was a pioneer in the field of O&M,” says daughter Carol Otten. “He had the highest level of commitment to providing quality care. He was especially passionate about veterans and making sure they received the services they deserved, and through that, learn independence”.
Malamazian entered the University of Illinois after World War II and graduated with honors in 1948 with a degree in Physical Education. He then embarked on a distinguished career in rehabilitation, starting as a Corrective Therapist at the Veterans Administration (VA) Medical Center in Hines, Ill. and working his way through the ranks to become Chief of the Blind Center there.
Throughout his years at the Hines Blind Center, Malamazian used his enormous reserves of patience and understanding to build patients’ self-confidence and their trust in him, his staff and the rehabilitation program. He also mentored and became a colleague of the many interns from Western Michigan University’s O&M program. He was always proud of friends and colleagues who taught with him at Hines.
He retired from the Blind Center after 33 years of dedicated service, but continued to enhance the lives of the visually impaired by helping to develop a topnotch O & M program at WMU. In March, 1983, he passed away suddenly, leaving a legacy of dedication for those who followed to carry on.
With gifts from family, friends and many organizations, the Malamazian family initiated the John D. Malamazian Endowed Memorial Scholarship Fund in Blind Rehabilitation in memory of him and his contributions to the O & M field. As Malamazian did during his lifetime, the family continues to expand the horizons, hopes and dreams of the visually impaired through this memorial scholarship fund.
Whitney Young was a dynamic civil rights activist whose work on race relations and other socioeconomic issues led to numerous community and government appointments and helped change the face of the nation.
In 1968, Young spoke at convocation and dedicated the newly established Western Michigan University’s School of Social Work. This was considered a great and memorable honor for the school and the University. When Young drowned in Nigeria in 1971, the school initiated the Whitney Young Scholarship and an annual celebration to honor him. Two social work students are selected as Whitney Young Scholars each year, and the celebration features a speaker whose life and work exemplify Young’s spirit.
Young earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Kentucky State University and a master’s degree in social work from the University of Minnesota. He first discovered his calling while enlisted in the Army Specialist Training Program during World War II, where he served in an anti-aircraft company of African Americans. Racism was rampant and his interest in civil rights was sparked when he became a liaison between the soldiers and the white officers.
In 1961, Young was appointed executive director of the National Urban League. Under his leadership, the staff grew from 38 employees to 1,600 and the organization moved to the foreground of the civil rights movement. During his tenure there, he pioneered affirmative action practices by securing well-paid employment for African Americans in areas where they were normally excluded. Young also created Street Academy, an educational program that prepared high school drop-outs for college, as well as the New Thrust, an initiative which helped community leaders identify and resolve issues.
He received numerous awards for his efforts including the National Association of Social Workers’ Social Work Pioneer in 1965 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Lyndon Johnson in 1969.
Rosalia A. Kiss-Schwem Occupational Therapy Faculty Endowment Improvement Fund
Rosalia A. Kiss-Schwem’s tenacity as an occupational therapy (OT) educator and practitioner embodied the goals of OT and emphasized the need for restoring an individual’s independence.
In 1939, Kiss-Schwem earned B.S. degrees in Art Education and occupational therapy from Wayne State University and Eastern Michigan University respectively. She later received a Master’s degree in Counseling and Guidance from Western Michigan University (WMU) and a Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Michigan.
Early in her career, from about 1947 to 1952, Kiss-Schwem worked as an OT for the Michigan Society of Crippled Children and Adults and provided home service throughout the rural Upper Peninsular (UP). “She was ahead of her time,” says step son, Marvin Schwem. “She was an outstanding woman, traveling the UP alone to work with disabled people during and after the war. It’s an indication of the type of woman she was—strong-willed and caring.” Her forward thinking would later profoundly impact the lives of students as well.
Kiss-Schwem joined the WMU faculty in 1952. As a professor, her concern with meeting human needs extended far beyond traditional OT practices. Former student Barbara Chandler remembers Kiss-Schwem explaining how she taught a farmer how to transfer easily from his tractor to his wheelchair by driving the vehicle into a large hole dug next to his barn. This act demonstrated to Chandler “the potential and possibility of OT and the human spirit.”
Kiss-Schwem served as chair of WMU’s OT department from 1968 until her retirement in 1971. In that role, she revamped the curriculum, launched courses to support other areas of study and introduced activities for children as well as courses such as child development and developmental assessment. Throughout her tenure she continued to upgrade the OT program to stay abreast of developments in other schools associated with large medical centers.
In 2007, family and friends created the Rosalia A. Kiss-Schwem Occupational Therapy Faculty Endowment Improvement Fund to memorialize her, to honor her work as a teacher and outstanding occupational therapist, and to remember her character as a strong and caring human being.
Charlene “Char” Cove Russell influenced the lives of many with her compassion, humor, love for family and friends, and her dedication to the profession of social work.
Char graduated from Eastern Nazarene College in Boston, Massachusetts. She earned her Master’s of Social Work from Western Michigan University while on staff at Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Char’s skills blossomed and flourished during her 18-year career as a social worker for Forest Hills Public Schools in Grand Rapids. There, she specialized in helping students with ADHD and autism, and their families.
“One important thing was her professionalism,” said her mother-in-law, Mrs. Charlotte Russell. Char had an incredible gift for communication especially with children. She was able to get kids to open up and share in a special way.”
Char also used humor, art and acting to help children, creating a weekly game show for autistic elementary school students called “What’s My Problem.” Whether teaching in the classroom, singing in her church choir or performing in a skit, her generous spirit touched the lives of many.
In 2005, Char succumbed to breast cancer. One friend shared, “She seemed to care less about the impact her illness had on herself than on those near and dear to her tender heart. Char always cheered for the underdog, the disenfranchised, the damaged and cast-off.”
In 2006, family and friends invited others who knew Char to help create the Charlene Cove Russell Endowment in Social Work. The scholarship was established in 2009. “We felt that it was important that through those whose lives she touched, her gift could be continued,” said Mrs. Russell, “That others who are able, will continue to work with students and make a change in children’s lives. It’s a chance for people to know that she was unique and to encourage others.”
Donations to the fund are encouraged. “Char was a recipient of scholarship funds and so was I,” commented Mrs. Russell. “We benefitted from other people giving, and we’re hoping that that will be the case here. I can think of no better way to honor her.”
At the age of 40, Lessie Mae Terrell started a journey to complete high school and then nursing school, and accomplished this as a wife, a mother of six and a full-time worker. After graduating from the Bronson Hospital School of Nursing in 1987, she went on to work at Bronson Hospital, retiring in 1997. She then worked for the Battle Creek Health System before retiring after an additional five years of service. During her career, she worked in the areas of Orthopedics, Neurology and Hemodialysis.
Lessie was loved beyond measure for the care she provided to patients, which was regularly demonstrated by kind words, cards, gifts, and special requests to be placed under her care. She was a mentor to many and an example to all, with a strong faith in God and a desire to help others. Her children have set up the Lessie Mae Terrell Scholarship in their mother's honor, remembering her as someone who loved to learn and encouraged them to become lifelong learners.
Gayle Strutz Memorial Endowed Scholarship
There was nothing in the world that Gayle Strutz, pictured here with her dog Taz, was more passionate about than her daughter Toni Strutz. “I am an only child,” shares Toni, “My mother didn’t attend college and didn’t enjoy her job. She always wanted to make sure that I had more opportunities and went farther in life than she did.”
Her mother’s dedication inspired Toni to work hard and achieve her goals. “There was never a question of what I was doing after high school. Not going to college was not an option,” she recalls.
And, Toni did go on to pursue higher education. She received her undergraduate degree from Finlandia University and her Master of Social Work from the WMU School of Social Work at the College of Health and Human Services. Currently, she is a Community Planning and Development Representative with the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development.
In January 2011, Toni’s mother Gayle passed away, but she lives on through the Gayle Strutz Memorial Endowed Scholarship. Toni established the scholarship to memorialize her mother, honor her commitment to education, and give back to the WMU social work program that helped prepare her for her career.
“My parents were really supportive and happy when I told them I was going to continue on to get my master’s degree, but I had to pay for it myself,” says Toni, chuckling at the memory. “A lot of my fellow students were working full-time and going to school. That was difficult, so my intention is that the scholarship helps social work students focus more on academics and less on finances. I know that every little bit helps.”