Adrian College Awesome Alumni Recognized posted 9/29/10
Awards ceremony to be held at Homecoming

ADRIAN, Mich. - Adrian College is proud to recognize this year’s alumni award winners at Homecoming on Saturday, Oct. 2. These alumni will be recognized publicly at 11 A.M. at the Alumni Awards Ceremony in Caine Student Center.

The event is free and open to public. The recipients and their awards are listed below.
AC Stewardship Award - Jane McCloskey | Honorary Alumni Award – Michael Allen | Alumni Humanitarian Award – Kenneth Munsch ’74 | Alumni Service Award – Brett Peters ’95 | Young Alumni Achievement Award – Matthew D. Mika ’01

AC Stewardship Award – Jane McCloskey

Jane McCloskey has been a part of the Adrian College family since 1994. She retired in June after 16 years in her administrative position as Director of Academic Services. She earned her master’s degree in education from Radford University and devoted her life to helping students.

Jane believes in serving students. Introduced early in her professional life to the challenges for students with disabilities, working on related issues has always been close to her heart. Jane helped create Disabilities Awareness Week on campus, an annual event devoted to raise awareness and understanding.

Jane knew that she would return to her own roots: working with students who like herself, are from first-generation families—entering college with possibilities and expectations--but no real direction or support. She taught the importance of taking responsibility for academics and learning to balance them with other activities such as athletics.

Jane has written successful grants to the U.S. Department of Education for Student Support Services Programs at Adrian College totaling more than $3.1 million. These funds serve students who are first-generation, low-income or disabled. Additional grants have provided funding for scholarships and technology to the campus. Jane also taught courses in English, developmental reading and reading preparation for graduate school entrance examinations.

Jane sat on multiple committees across campus from student retention to curriculum to the Operation Education Scholarship committee. She is well respected by faculty, staff and students and many offered support for her nomination. One message was consistent:  Jane’s commitment to students, friendly, positive demeanor and confidence-building skills that create success. She had an open door and listening ear for all students.

In her spare time, Jane loves to travel, having visited over 50 nations. She and her husband journeyed to Israel and the Mideast in recent months and enjoy a second home in Chicago. Jane also enjoys spending time with family as well as ball room dancing.

Jane and husband Dennis live in Ottawa Hills, Ohio, and have two grown children, son Casey McCloskey, daughter-in-law Jennifer and grandson Connor, and daughter Erin Maus, son-in-law Gary and granddaughter Mary Jane.

Honorary Alumni Award – Michael Allen 

Adrian College has been a vital part of Michael Allen’s life for over two decades. He came to the College in 1986 as a theatre professor and has influenced the lives of aspiring thespians in the classroom and on stage ever since.

Michael received his B.A. in history from Millsaps College in 1967 and earned a Master of Fine Arts in dramatic art from the University of California, Davis, in 1978. He currently serves as the chair of the theatre department at Adrian College.

Although his name doesn’t show up on the cast list, he has played an integral role in each and every theatre production since his arrival. The success of the plays, actors and crew can be credited to Michael’s leadership and ability to motivate students to engage in active learning.

Michael is committed to his community and volunteers his time with many organizations, including the Croswell Opera House here in Adrian. He is a past president of the board of directors and served as interim artistic director. He is also a frequent performer in the Croswell’s productions each year and has done so since 1988.

Michael is currently a member of the Adrian Symphony Orchestra board of directors and is the national president of the dramatic collegiate honor society, Theta Alpha Phi. He also served on the executive/selection committee for the mid-west region of the American College Theatre Festival.

Michael has been recognized by his peers, receiving Adrian College’s Ross Newsom Award for outstanding teaching and is the recipient of an American College Theatre Festival Award for directing.

He chairs and serves on several Adrian College committees, offering his guidance throughout campus. He connects not only with current students but stays in touch former students who have gone on to a variety of paths since graduation. Michael is an enthusiastic representative of the College far beyond the campus borders.

Michael enjoys traveling, cooking, golf and of course, attending theatre productions.

Michael and his wife Janice Whelan reside in Adrian. He has one son, Brant Allen.

Alumni Humanitarian Award – Kenneth Munsch ’74

Fifty-seven years ago Ken Munsch was adopted as an infant from the Methodist Children’s Home in Redford Township (Mich.) and was blessed with wonderful parents who raised him in the Christian faith. His life has been one of service and giving back to humanity.

Throughout the years, Ken helped promote, volunteer, and fund-raise for a variety of community and faith-based organizations. These include the Holland Jaycees, Good Samaritan Ministries’ volunteer financial counseling program, outreach committee for Christ Memorial Church, and Holland Public Schools Athletic Boosters.

Close to his heart and wife Sheri’s, is support of orphanages and adoption organizations. In 1990, Ken organized the Thanksgiving campaign to help build an orphanage in Tirana, Albania, and shared the importance of the effort. Over $104,000 was raised, more than enough to complete the construction. Hannah’s House has continued to grow and serve orphans and adoptive families ever since. 

In recent years, he has devoted much of his service time indirectly to Fleetwood Group, Inc., an employee-owned, $30 million manufacturer of educational furniture and wireless electronics. Ken is chairperson of the board of directors, whose unique mission is to help direct 33% of its profits to hundreds of mission, faith-based and service organizations. 

Ken and Sheri have continued to support the Methodist Children’s and also donated a brick to Shipman Library walkway in his late parents’ names inscribed with Proverbs 3:5, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding.” Ken hopes a student might notice the scripture and want to read more.

After graduating from Adrian with a B.A. in marketing and accounting, Ken went on to earn a master’s degree in business administration from The University of Michigan. Since 1978, he has been with Herman Miller, Inc., a company with a mission of “building a better world,” and was recently promoted to director of new product business development.

Ken Munsch continues to be a steadfast witness for Adrian College; he jokes that perhaps he could be called a martyr having lived in Holland, the home of rival Hope College, for 32 years and attending church with a third of Hope’s faculty.

He and his wife Sheri, live in Holland, and have two children, Kate and Jeremy.

Alumni Service Award – Brett Peters ’95                                                               

Brett Peters has not missed a homecoming weekend since he graduated from Adrian College in 1995. He loves coming back to reconnect with old friends and see the changes to campus. He was in attendance at the 150th Gala in March 2009 to help celebrate the College’s sesquicentennial.

Brett is an avid supporter of the Bulldogs and continues to travel throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin to attend sporting events. He has been to over 65 Adrian College games and was present for the baseball team’s first ever appearance at the College World Series in 2008 in Appleton, Wisconsin.

Brett is an unofficial recruiter for the College, referring numerous prospective college athletes to coaches. He has donated funds to support building projects on campus, academic scholarships and shared his photography of AC events. Brett is an avid promoter engaging alumni in conversation about the many positive changes and improvements that have taken place over the last five years.

Brett is devoted to his fraternity. He is responsible for maintaining the Zeta Beta Chapter of Theta Chi’s alumni database, serves as its alumni association secretary and keeps the fraternity brothers abreast of current events. He has served as a regional counselor, as facilitator for regional and national events, and as a campus alumni advisor. He currently serves on two national committees and as a Colony Advisory Board Member for the Alpha Lambda Colony at The Ohio State University.

Brett has a kind heart and has also volunteered his time and funds to many other non-profit organizations including the Red Cross of Greater Columbus, March of Dimes, Mid-Ohio Food Bank and many more.

After receiving his bachelor’s degree in communications-mass media, he attended Keller Graduate School of Management at DeVry University and earned his master’s in business administration with an emphasis on human resources.

Brett currently serves as the Class Agent for the Adrian College Class of 1995. He has worked hard to get his fellow classmates back on campus today for their 15th reunion and encourage them to support their alma mater. 

Brett currently resides in Columbus, Ohio, and works for Alpha 1 Induction Service Center where he is in charge of inventory control and acts as the safety coordinator.

Young Alumni Achievement Award – Matthew D. Mika ’01                                  

By the time he was 30 years old, Matt Mika had already established an impressive resume. He had worked on or managed numerous political campaigns in Michigan and New York including a governor, congressmen and U.S. representatives. In addition, he served as a district representative and legislative assistant to four politicians, researching and advising representatives regarding their districts, state, and the country. It was Matt’s job to ensure each one had the necessary information to make good choices and explain their positions on issues and concerns of the citizens they represented.

Matt was promoted earlier this year to Senior Director, Legislative Affairs, for the American Meat Institute in Washington, D.C. He lobbies Congress on agricultural, food safety, immigration, appropriations, and trade-related issues and leads his staff on food safety reform. Matt also works with the White House, Department of Homeland Security on comprehensive immigration reform. He began with the AMI in January 2009.

In 2007, Matt earned the honor of being named the Federal Staffer of the Year through the Michigan Credit Union League.

Matt graduated in 2001 with a degree in criminal justice and is currently pursuing his master’s degree in public administration and public policy from Western Michigan University. While at Adrian, Matt was very involved in campus life. He was a member of Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity and continues with the organization as the alumni advisor and member of the executive board. He was a four-year member of the football team and was on the 2007 M.I.A.A. champion squad. He also played baseball for the Bulldogs for two years.

Matt has served his community by volunteering for Habitat for Humanity and as a volunteer judge from 2001-2005 for the “We the People” high school competition. Matt also served as assistant coach for the Blissfield High School baseball team and helped guide them to a state championship in 2000 when he was still a student at Adrian College.

Matt resides in Washington, D.C. and is a sports enthusiast. In his spare time he enjoys baseball, football, hockey, basketball, golf, and camping. Matt is originally from Hattiesburg, Mississippi.