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Creating Connections: How Generosity Is Shaping Futures at CCS Scholarship Luncheon
Photo Credit: Lesley Mason ’00 Photography
At a recent donor appreciation luncheon hosted by the College for Creative Studies, donors and scholarship recipients gathered in the General Motors Auditorium at the A. Alfred Taubman Center for Design Education to celebrate the transformative power of education – and the generosity that makes it possible. Held on October 22, the event provided a meaningful platform for heartfelt connections between those who give and those who benefit from their support.
Jim Nicholson, Chair of the Board of Trustees, spoke about the profound impact philanthropy has on the college community. “Every scholarship represents a story of hope and ambition,” he said. “It’s our responsibility to invest in these talented individuals who will shape the future of our industries. Your contributions are not just financial support, they are lifelines that help students reach their full potential.”
As attendees listened, they were reminded of the difference philanthropy makes for students navigating the challenges of college. Guests heard firsthand how scholarships have transformed lives, opening doors to education and brighter futures.
A senior scholarship recipient at CCS shared how pivotal his scholarship has been to his journey. “About four years ago, I didn’t think I would have the opportunity to graduate from CCS… I genuinely had no clue how I would afford college, much less a school as prestigious as this one.” Now on track to graduate in 2025, he expressed deep gratitude for the experiences his scholarship made possible, from studying abroad to gaining skills and mentors that have “changed the trajectory” of his life. “This career path wouldn’t have been possible without donors taking a chance on me,” he said, adding that he hopes to one day support students just as he has been supported.
For him and many others, scholarship support has been the difference between dreams deferred and dreams realized. Another scholarship recipient shared her journey to CCS, recalling both the excitement of her acceptance and the sense of relief that came with receiving scholarship support. Receiving the Alumni Scholarship, she said, was the moment she could finally focus on what truly mattered: making art. “Thanks to your generosity, I’m able to accomplish what I’m really at CCS to do: make art … I’m forever grateful that you choose to value our education, our artmaking and our financial success as young adults.”
CCS President Don Tuski emphasized the vital role scholarships play in shaping students’ futures. “I’ve witnessed firsthand the profound impact that scholarships have on our students’ lives. Your support not only lightens their financial load but empowers them to explore their full potential and push the boundaries of creativity,” he shared. “Today, we celebrate not just education, but the transformative role that creativity plays in shaping our future.”
Tessa Semma Jarbo, whose sister Kacy Semma Hall graduated from CCS in 2006, spoke movingly about the inspiration behind the scholarship that honors her sister’s memory. “Kacy’s cancer diagnosis became an invaluable lesson that life is not guaranteed for anyone and time is our most precious resource,” Jarbo shared. In establishing the Kacy Semma Memorial Scholarship, she and her husband Johnny sought to pay tribute to Kacy’s “creative spirit and commitment to nurturing the next generation of artists and designers.” She expressed their hope that the scholarship will “not only provide resources but also inspire recipients to give back to the creative community, continuing the cycle of inspiration that Kacy started.”
Katie Rusak, CCS Director of Advancement, echoed the importance of connecting donors with the students they support. “These moments of connection are what it’s all about,” Rusak shared. “Your support not only provides critical financial assistance but inspires our students to pursue their passions and dreams. We are here to recognize the profound impact scholarships have on our students’ lives, opening doors to opportunities that might otherwise remain closed.”
In closing, Rusak expressed heartfelt appreciation: “On behalf of the entire CCS community, I extend my heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you,” she said. “Your belief in our mission and in our students makes all the difference. You empower students to pursue their dreams without the burden of financial worry, and for that, we are forever grateful.”
What to Bring—and Not Bring—to Campus
Originally posted at https://www.kzoo.edu/news/what-to-bring-to-campus-2021/
Written by Andy Brown.
Incoming Kalamazoo College students have several great sources for information on what to bring to campus this fall including Residential Living’s online guidance and advice from recent alumni such as Lezlie Lull ’20.
Lull, an admission counselor at K, lived on campus for two years including one as a resident assistant in Crissey Hall. Now, she has conversations with prospective students that include her advice for residence hall life.
“Some students come in very worried about having never shared a room before,” Lull said. “I make sure that they’re aware of knowing how we match roommates and their ability to contact a roommate in advance.”
After easing those concerns, and given her first-hand experience, Lull suggests considering what not to bring, communicating early and often with roommates, and including a few personal items that can make your room feel more like home and smooth your transition on move-in day, September 8.
What not to bring
Lull said what not to bring to campus is just as important as what to bring. Residential Living has a list of prohibited items. Plus, the idea that less is more can save space in close quarters.
“More often than not, I had too much in my room my first year,” she said. “I often thought, ‘Why do I have all of this?’”
A convenience item such as a microwave might seem like a good idea, she said, yet each hall lounge has one that’s immediately available, so it might not be a critical item. Rethink bringing anything that might just take up space or anything you can buy later in Kalamazoo. Residential Life doesn’t keep floor-plan measurements for specific rooms. However, students may look at pictures of residence hall rooms in K’s virtual tour to estimate their potential floor space and where space might be tight.
The one exception to the less-is-more idea might be cold-weather clothing.
“One thing for some—for out-of-state students especially—would be the importance of bringing sweaters and winter coats,” Lull said. “When the first cold weather comes in October, many are stuck with only a pair of jeans and flip flops.”
Communication is key
Even someone who is shy will benefit from reaching out to their assigned roommate before arriving on campus. K students living on campus this fall should already have received their room assignment with their roommate’s name and kzoo.edu email address. Sometimes the benefit is ensuring you don’t bring more than one of the same item. Other times, it helps set agreements between roommates as they get to know each other’s personal routines.
“My first roommate and I weren’t the best of friends, but we got along in the necessary areas,” Lull said. “I think the issues we had were all a lack of communication, whether that was in the moving process or later on. I think it’s a lot easier if you can talk to them in advance, so you don’t show up with two coffeemakers, two refrigerators or multiple items of everything in the room.”
Home sweet home
When packing, think about bringing a couple personal items you can set up out of the way to help your space feel a little more like home.
“A lot of our decorations were things we could sit on our desk or put on the walls with sticky tape,” Lull said. “I also had window stickers we could put up. Other than that, we didn’t necessarily have a ton of stuff. I had string lights to hang pictures from home. My mom made me a pillow that had a picture of me and my dog on it. We also got rugs for the tile floor.”
The week ahead
After you’re settled, the adventure of orientation begins. A schedule for orientation is available at the first-year experience website, and Lull suggests participating as much as possible.
“I think orientation is a really good time to meet a lot of people,” she said. “Some people don’t take advantage of that. Some think, ‘Well, I’m really tired at 8 a.m. They’re not going to know if I don’t show up.’ But how many people are you not meeting because you weren’t there? I think students should be open minded and ready to meet and do everything. Buy coffee if you need to wake up, dress in layers if it’s cool in the morning, and take a water bottle with you in case it gets hot.”
It also helps that Michigan’s top 14 independent colleges and universities set themselves apart from bigger public institutions by encouraging students to forge success by following their own path. The colleges are smaller and emphasize community over crowds. Often less expensive than public institutions, the independents boast higher four-year graduation rates and smaller class sizes for a truly unique and affordable experience.
Be bold. Be different. Go independent.
‘Hail Adrian!’ voted best fight song in NCAA Division III
Originally posted at http://adrian.edu/news/hail-adrian-voted-best-fight-song-in-ncaa-division-iii
Bulldogs of all types are very dedicated to their families — especially Adrian College’s Bulldogs. When recently called on to support their college fight song, Adrian College’s students and alumni responded. The Bulldogs quickly recorded more than enough votes on D3Playbook’s Twitter account to make their fight song No. 1 in the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Division III.
Adrian College’s “Hail Adrian!” rose to the top of the 32-school D3 Fight Song Madness bracket and was the winner over Heidelberg University’s “Victory March” by a margin of 55-45 percent in the finals, with almost 1,100 votes tallied.
The story behind Adrian College’s current fight song began in the fall of 1988 when Darin McNabb, Class of ’89, went to his band instructor and asked if he could write a new one. He was given the green light and the new song was a hit and played for the next couple of seasons before getting shelved.
In 2007, McNabb heard the Bulldogs were creating a new marching band and asked the band director, Dr. Marty Marks, if he could rework his old fight song and create an updated version they could play. The idea was taken to Adrian College President Jeffrey Docking and he gave the go-ahead to update the song. Just a couple of months later, the marching band was proudly playing “Hail Adrian!”
McNabb said his inspiration for the song came from “The 40 Greatest College Fight Songs,” recorded by the University of Michigan marching band.
“If one listens closely to my new Adrian fight song, they can hear musical references to the fight songs of Northwestern, Wisconsin, Michigan State and the University of Michigan,” McNabb wrote in a 2008 Adrian College alumni magazine. “Yet, Hail Adrian! Is written to sound uniquely its own.”
McNabb went on to explain in the story that he wanted the words of the song to be non-gender and non-sport specific.
“I also wanted to promote a positive up-beat message that included references to school pride, school colors, a supportive crowd, and the Bulldog mascot,” he said in the article. “Finally, I wanted to be sure to include the words “heroes,” “champions,” and “victory,” to convey the concepts of excellence, pride and success, concepts I think Adrian College has always strived to instill in its graduates.
“I am so proud to know that my music will help create that great atmosphere found only at collegiate athletic events for many years to come,” McNabb said.
Hail Adrian!
Hail, hail to Adrian —
The home of the Black and the Gold!
Cheer, cheer for Adrian —
Lift high your voices, proud and bold,
“Go, Dawgs, Go!”
Fight, fight for Adrian —
And champions again we will be!
Our heroes will score,
and the crowd will roar,
“Another Bulldog victory!”
At Michigan’s 14 independent colleges and universities students forge success by following their own path. The colleges are purposefully smaller and emphasize community over crowds. Classes are taught by award-winning faculty rather than TAs, allowing students to forge tight bonds with professors. Often less expensive than public institutions, the independents boast higher four-year graduation rates and smaller class sizes for a truly unique and affordable experience.
To learn more about Michigan’s top 14 private colleges and universities, visit our Colleges page.
Scholarships are available! Enter the We Are The Independents scholarship drawing.
Aquinas College, the University of Detroit Mercy, Alma College and Olivet College among the nation’s top military-friendly schools
Originally posted at https://www.aquinas.edu/life-aq/posts/aquinas-college-named-one-nation’s-top-military-friendly-schools?fbclid=IwAR1xOvj_xPA0nMVZczsQoHRjQ4bk_6MrMCne3nSR-Alei64K8QmZ8i8bSXc
Aquinas College, the University of Detroit Mercy, Alma College, and Olivet College have each earned the 2021-2022 Military Friendly® School designation by Viqtory for their support of active-duty military members and veterans attending school.
The 2021-2022 Military Friendly Schools list is the longest-running and most comprehensive review of college and university commitment to serving military and veteran students. It helps service members and their families select schools that will provide education and training necessary to pursue a successful civilian career.
The list is published by Viqtory, a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business that connects the military community to civilian employment, educational and entrepreneurial opportunities through its G.I. Jobs and Military Friendly brands. The list will appear in the May issue of G.I. Jobs magazine and can be found at www.militaryfriendly.com.
“Military Friendly is committed to transparency and providing consistent data-driven standards in our designation process,” said Kayla Lopez, National Director of Military Partnerships at Military Friendly. “This creates a competitive atmosphere that encourages colleges to consistently evolve and invest in their programs. Schools who achieve designation show true commitment and dedication in their efforts. Our standards assist schools by providing a benchmark that promotes positive educational outcomes, resources, and support services that better the educational landscape and provide opportunity for the Military Community.”
Institutions earning the Military Friendly School designation were evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. More than 1,200 schools participated in the 2021-2022 survey with 747 earning the designation.
Methodology, criteria, and weightings were determined by Viqtory with input from the Military Friendly Advisory Council of independent leaders in the higher education and military recruitment community. Final ratings were determined by combining the institution’s survey response set and government/agency public data sources, within a logic based scoring assessment. We measure the institution’s ability to meet thresholds for Student Retention, Graduation, Job Placement, Loan Repayment, Persistence (Degree Advancement or Transfer) and Loan Default rates for all students and, specifically, for student veterans.
Michigan’s independents recognize the importance of the sacrifices made by veterans, and make accommodations from mentoring programs and support services to ease the transition.
The colleges are purposefully small. Smaller class sizes allow passionate faculty to form bonds with students that just aren’t possible at larger universities. Instead of crowds, the colleges emphasize community. Often less expensive than public institutions, the independents boast higher four-year graduation rates and smaller class sizes for a truly unique and affordable experience.
Be bold. Be different. Go independent.
Virtual Kitchen Serves Recipes and Connects Students
Originally posted at http://www.kzoo.edu/news/virtual-kitchen/
Written by Andy Brown.
A cooking show served with a dash of Kalamazoo College is available to students this term. If you’ve ever wanted student-suitable ideas for easy-to-make, inexpensive, palate-pleasing meals that offer a change of pace and a variety of flavors, make sure to tune in.
Every Thursday, from 6 to 7 p.m., MacKenzy Maddock ’22 leads K’s Virtual Kitchen via Microsoft Teams through the Office of Student Activities (OSA). In each show, at least one student staff member cooks meals while talking with other K students.
“I make a new meal every week and try to pick affordable ingredients as well as try to include options that are vegan and vegetarian friendly,” Maddock said. “My goal is to include as many students as possible and consider their financial capacity, accessibility to resources, and interests in food. Students that participate have the option to get a cooking kit provided by the school which includes utensils used in the kitchen.”
Masoor dal, a spicy Indian red lentil soup, was a recent featured recipe prepared by Alaq Zghayer ’21, and students can expect such diverse dishes in future editions of the Virtual Kitchen.
“I’m working on diversifying the event to be more inclusive to other cultures, religions and groups of people on campus as well as to just learn about other kinds of food,” Maddock said. “I’m doing this by collaborating with the many student organizations we have on campus, and I’m excited for what the next few weeks are going to be like. I think the event is constantly developing and I would love for more participants every week.”
The event’s evening time slot makes it accessible to students across the country. Recordings make it available to students around the world. Students can register for each Virtual Kitchen by emailing k18mm01@kzoo.edu or messaging Maddock on Teams to receive access to the cooking channel, which includes previous editions to the show as well.
“I would like to think that this event is an easy way to socialize while doing something that you need to have to survive, food,” Maddock said. “I also think cooking is a huge thing that brings people together and I think that is something that is really necessary right now.”
Maddock, a double major in chemistry and psychology and a volleyball player, understands the need to unplug from a busy schedule. “I am trying to make this space a safe place to decompress after a long day of work, school, sports, etcetera, and I think that that is really worth it to the students that participate.”
Community. It’s what sets apart Kalamazoo College and Michigan’s other top 15 private colleges and universities.
They’re not merely in towns and cities. They are an integral part of their fabric, reaching beyond campus walls and greens to improve the lives of those around them.
It’s one of many differences with traditional universities.
Unlike big state schools, class sizes are small and taught by incredible faculty who help students forge their own path.
They have a deep and committed network of alumni who help after graduation. It’s an experience that simply isn’t available at traditional universities.
And despite what you may have heard, independents are often less expensive and boast higher four-year graduation rates than four-year institutions.
Be bold. Be different. Go independent.
Aquinas freshman named esports All-American
Real-time strategy, teamwork, mental agility, split-second decision-making – these are some of the skills it takes to succeed in one of the fastest growing athletic programs in the country – esports.
Esports is a massive, global series of video game competitions, that is making serious inroads in the college sports arena.
The Aquinas College esports team just completed its first season and already one team member is making waves. Jon Schneck, an AQ freshman, was named an All-American by the National Association of Esports Coaches and Directors (NAECD)—one of only eight in the country.
“It was a little bit of a surprise that I would be an All-American because I don’t think of myself that highly,” Schneck said. “But it is great that I got recognized.”
Jon may have been caught off guard by the recognition, but head coach Adam Antor says it is well deserved because of his hard work and knowledge.
“He is kind of like the master knowledge base for the game,” Antor said of Schneck. “He knows more about the game than most other competitors in our program and across the country so he brings the brains and the work ethic.”
Jon competes in League of Legends. It’s a game he said he’s been playing since before he got to Aquinas. Next season, Jon plans to continue his streak. “I am looking forward to just winning in any league I’m going into,” Schneck said. “Building a better team and making sure that we can compete at the highest level against all the other teams.”
The Aquinas College team joins other Michigan private colleges and universities in offering esports. Alma College and Siena Heights University also field excellent competitive esports programs.
Aquinas, Alma and Siena Heights – and all of Michigan’s top 14 private colleges and universities – share a commitment to helping students succeed by following their own path. The colleges are smaller and emphasize community over crowds. Often less expensive than public institutions, the independents boast higher four-year graduation rates and smaller class sizes for a truly unique and affordable experience.
Be bold. Be different. Go independent.
SAU Student Uses 3D Printer to Help Fight Coronavirus
Spring Arbor University freshman electrical engineering student Noah Waldron is using his talents and education to make a difference for those on the front lines of the fight against COVID-19. Making use of the 3D printer he created in his first year of the engineering program at SAU, Noah has printed more than 300 plastic headbands, which modify face masks to increase comfort, for the healthcare staff at Henry Ford Allegiance Health.
Noah’s mother works for Henry Ford Allegiance Health. Like many other medical professionals, she and her coworkers feel the pressure of trying to stay safe while caring for patients.
“My mom brought up an issue of the masks not fitting securely to the face and mentioned how they put a lot of pressure on the ears,” says Noah. “Sending some examples, she asked if I could create a headband that addressed these issues to make the mask-wearing experience more comfortable.”
While other bands are crocheted or sewn and feature buttons around which ear loops can be hooked, the bands Noah makes are unique to his particular interests. Produced on his 3D printer, they are made of black, flexible plastic and feature notches on each end that allow the wearer to personalize the fit of their mask. Noah’s first batch was small, only 10 bands, which his mother quickly handed out. The next batch was much larger, and it wouldn’t be his last. Noah shares that, despite their lengthy printing process (about five hours for nine bands) he plans to keep printing the bands so long as they are needed.
“The staff at the hospital are working hard to keep us safe in the fight against COVID-19,” says Noah. “Printing the headbands is one small way that I can use my skills and resources to give back.”
According to Ron DeLap, Dean of the School of Engineering at SAU, all freshmen in the program are required to build a 3D printer for use during their time in the department. When Noah built his printer, he never expected to use it to fight a worldwide pandemic just months later. That all changed in mid-March when COVID-19 began to shut down all but the most essential services.
“I had no clue I would be helping out in such a major way,” says Noah. “I originally expected to only use the printer for projects and parts we designed in class.”
Noah’s first year of college may not have gone as planned, but he feels he’s making the most of it. “if I can’t be at school, it feels good to be helping my mom and her staff,” he says.
Noah’s committment to making a difference is a mission shared by Michigan’s top 14 private colleges and universities. Students are encouraged by engaged faculty to find their passion and make an impact by following their own path. The colleges are smaller and emphasize community over crowds. All share an unwaivering commitment to helping students succeed.
Be bold. Be different. Go independent.
Make Your College Campus Visits, Virtually
While in-person admissions visits at Michigan’s top 14 private colleges and universities have been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, prospective students can still explore these beautiful campuses with the click of a button!
With virtual tours available, you can still get the chance to “walk” the campus, see and feel what life could be like for the next four years. The online tours not only give you a peak into each campus, but many schools even allow you to schedule an online information session with a live admissions counselor! Get your questions answered and make an informed choice now from the comfort of your home.
Get more information in the links below:
Alma College Virtual Tour | Schedule a Virtual Visit
Andrews University Virtual Tour | Sign up for a Virtual Preview
Aquinas College Virtual Tour | Schedule a Virtual Personal Visit
Calvin University Virtual Tour | Schedule a Virtual Visit
Hillsdale College Schedule a Virtual Visit
Hope College Virtual Tour | Schedule a Virtual Visit
Kalamazoo College Virtual Tour | Schedule a Virtual Visit
Madonna University Campus Tour Video | Schedule a Virtual Visit
Siena Heights University Virtual Tour
Spring Arbor University Virtual Tour | Schedule a Virtual Visit
University of Detroit Mercy Virtual Tour | Sign up for a Virtual Information Session
University of Detroit Mercy: Estate gift endows Arnold Jarboe Chair of Business Administration
Detroit Mercy recently received a $6.1 million estate gift to endow a new chair in the College of Business Administration (CBA). This is the largest single gift in the history of University of Detroit Mercy.
When he died in 2016, Arnold Jarboe ’54 left his bequest to establish the Arnold Jarboe Chair in Business Administration in the College of Business Administration. Jarboe was an attorney for the Social Security Administration.
“This extraordinary and large gift by our unassuming alumnus, Arnold Jarboe, is the best affirmation that he truly lived the Jesuit values he learned as a University of Detroit student,” said Detroit Mercy President Antoine M. Garibaldi, Ph.D. “Mr. Jarboe’s generous endowment will make it possible for generations of students and faculty at Detroit Mercy to receive and deliver, respectively, a high quality education in Business and leadership.”
Joseph G. Eisenhauer, dean of the College of Business Administration, has appointed Evan A. Peterson ’06, ’09, a lecturer in Business Law, to serve as the first Jarboe Chair.
“I am deeply grateful to Arnold Jarboe for his remarkable estate gift to the College of Business Administration and profoundly honored to have been chosen for this prestigious appointment,” Peterson said. “Through this gift, the College of Business Administration will continue to enhance its reputation as a national leader in providing students with innovative, cutting-edge business programs.”
Peterson holds B.S., J.D., and MBA degrees from Detroit Mercy, and a Ph.D. in Management from Walden University. A licensed attorney who has practiced law in Michigan, Peterson also serves as director of Undergraduate Business Programs and co-director of the Honors Program. Since joining the University full-time in 2014, he has helped create a minor and a concentration in Business Law and published more than a dozen scholarly articles in professional journals. In addition, he has actively engaged students as co-authors on many articles and research papers.
The Jarboe Chair will become part of the CBA’s Center for Practice & Research in Management & Ethics (PRIME), which Peterson will serve as director. The PRIME Center will offer enhanced opportunities for Detroit Mercy business students to interact with leading business executives and thinkers, and develop a number of activities and scholarship endeavors, including the following:
- Creation of a speaker series that brings nationally prominent leaders of businesses, nonprofit agencies, educational institutions and governments to campus for presentations. These executives and entrepreneurs will share their expertise and practical ideas with students and faculty, which will help ensure that CBA academic programs and research are relevant to the real world.
- Expansion of experiential learning and leadership opportunities for students in business. These include hands-on coursework, such as the Integrated Field Project, in which MBA students serve as business consultants to nonprofit organizations on live case projects; service-learning projects, in which students use the skills developed in the classroom to benefit the community while gaining practical experience; internships, through which regional employers can hire an energetic labor force while students gain resume-building professional experience and income; leadership workshops, such as those offered by our Center for Social Entrepreneurship; and teamwork projects, in which students work collaboratively with diverse colleagues to solve managerial problems.
- A student-run journal that solicits, edits, publishes and distributes research from around the nation on topics relevant to the PRIME Center mission. Detroit Mercy students will serve as the editors and peer-reviewers of submissions from students at other universities, helping them develop their research into publishable form. In this manner, the PRIME Center will serve as a resource for enhancing management and ethics education nationwide.
- Professional research on Management and Ethics will be conducted by PRIME Center affiliates, including Fr. Gerald Cavanagh, S.J., the Charles T. Fisher III Chair of Business Ethics, who is recognized nationally as a founder of the business ethics field. The Center will share this research at professional conferences and publish it in leading journals for the benefit of scholars around the world.
According to Eisenhauer, “the activities of the PRIME Center will expand both academic and professional opportunities for students, and ensure that we maintain our leadership position both regionally and nationally in management and ethics.”
Future plans for the PRIME Center include a Behavioral Dynamics Lab, in which teamwork and leadership are studied first-hand through audio and video recording of group interactions and remote conferencing. Other centers of excellence in the College of Business Administration include The Center for Social Entrepreneurship, America’s Business High School, The Financial Markets Lab and Institute for North Korean Studies.
The College of Business Administration’s accreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) places it among the top 5 percent of business schools in the world.
In addition, the College’s graduate and undergraduate Management programs are consistently ranked among the nation’s top 25 by U.S. News & World Report.
To learn more about Detroit Mercy’s College of Business Administration, click here.
SAU alumnus Dr. Jacob Atem receives CCCU Young Alumni Award
The Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU) has announced that Dr. Jacob Atem, a 2008 graduate of Spring Arbor University and the co-founder, president, and CEO of the Southern Sudan Healthcare Organization, has been named the 2019 CCCU Young Alumni Award winner. The award was presented on Wednesday, Jan. 30, during the 2019 CCCU Presidents Conference in Washington, D.C. The CCCU Young Alumni Award is presented to individuals who have graduated within the last 10 years and have exhibited uncommon leadership or achieved notable success in a way that reflects Christian higher education.
“Jacob was one of 40,000 children orphaned by the Second Sudanese Civil War. His story of perseverance in the midst of trauma, despite unimaginable odds, inspires such hope,” shared CCCU President Shirley V. Hoogstra. “As we continue to engage in national conversations surrounding immigration, Jacob’s story reminds us of the power of individuals to make a difference, the life-changing work of higher education and, most importantly, the unparalleled glory of our God.”
Atem’s passion for helping others and his love for South Sudan stems from his own experience as one of Sudan’s Lost Boys. Atem was six years old when his parents and several of his siblings were killed by northern Sudanese Arab militias waging war on Southern Sudan. After walking over 2,000 miles with other lost boys, he found refuge in Kenya before coming to the United States at 15. With the support of his foster family in Michigan, he graduated high school and went on to study at Spring Arbor University (SAU), where he experienced the antithesis of his lost boy experience: a welcoming community of faith, full of mentors and friends ready to invest in his life.
After personally witnessing the effects of malnutrition and disease, his experience in America propelled Atem to continue his education in order to give back. In the midst of his studies, Atem co-founded the Southern Sudan Healthcare Organization (SSHCO) and raised $800,000 toward building a clinic in his hometown. Today, SSHCO sees over 3,000 patients monthly for less than $5 a person, fulfilling Atem’s hope of bringing hope to where it is lost. After Spring Arbor, he continued his education by earning a Master of Public Health at Michigan State University and, eventually, a doctorate in Environmental and Global Health at the University of Florida. Atem is currently a postdoctoral Fellow at Johns Hopkins Center for Humanitarian Health.
“For me, I wouldn’t be who I am today without God,” Atem said. “One of my favorite verses says, ‘To whom much is given, much is required.’ After coming to America, I found myself being blessed in a land of freedom, a place where you can learn and actually practice your faith, and I was blown away. This scripture has truly impacted my life, and after realizing I could work hard to help others, now I am returning to give to my country and share my story.”
“Jacob is an exceptional alumnus and represents the truly transformational experience an intentionally Christian education can have upon a student,” added SAU President Brent Ellis. “When Jacob immigrated to the United States, he brought nothing with him but his courage, perseverance, determination, and passion. These characteristics served him well as he worked diligently during his years at SAU. Mentored by professors and staff, Jacob graduated prepared not only for graduate school, humanitarian work and global advocacy, but ready to serve our world as an ambassador of Christ, as a minister of redemption and reconciliation and a as critical participant in the contemporary world.”
