2006 Commencement posted 4/30/06

HONORARY DEGREE RECIPIENTS

Adrian College awarded honorary degrees to the following recipients at the 2006 Commencement ceremony on April 30.

Robyn J. Arrington, Jr., Doctor of Humane Letters

Robyn Arrington, second from right, receives his award.

Robyn J. Arrington, a national leader in health care, is currently the Medical Director of Total Health Care, a Health Maintenance Organization that serves 300 centers in Michigan and 70 centers in Florida.

His career includes service in the Army National Guard, where he commanded the largest mobile field hospital in the States and was named Surgeon General of the Michigan Army National Guard. His current position followed a career as physician in an obstetrical and gynecological practice with his father and brother.

He assists Detroit youth through the Detroit Metropolitan Teen Conference and was appointed by President Bush to serve on a task force on infant mortality. He has been an Adrian College trustee since 1997.

Dr. Arrington graduated from Adrian College in 1966, and received his M.D. from Howard University in 1970.

Michael J. Rogers, Doctor of Laws

Mike Rogers, right, prepares for the conferral of his degree.

Michael J. Rogers represents Michigan’s Eighth District in the United States House of Representatives. He serves as Majority Deputy Whip and sits on the Energy and Commerce Committee, the Intelligence Committee and chairs the Subcommittee on Intelligence Policy. Deeply involved in foreign policy related to the Middle East, he has made frequent trips to meet with leaders in Israel, Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait.

His career began as an officer in the U.S. Army and then as an FBI special agent in the Chicago Bureau’s organized crime unit. Elected to the Michigan Senate, he served as Majority Floor Leader from 1999 to 2000.

Michael Rogers received a bachelor’s degree from Adrian College in 1985.

Gary C. Valade, Doctor of Humane Letters

Gary Valade, right, receives his award.

Gary J. Valade recently retired as Chief Financial Officer of DaimlerChrysler, a position he had held with the Chrysler Corporation since 1993.

Mr. Valade began his Chrysler career in the finance division in 1966. He was closely involved with the group that, under the leadership of Lee Iacocca, revived Chrysler in the 1980s. More recently he was the lead negotiator in the merger with Daimler Motors.

Mr. Valade chairs the Adrian College Board of Trustees, which he joined in 1995. He also serves on the boards of the Henry Ford Health System, the Interlochen Academy for the Arts, the Birmingham First United Methodist Church, and the Global Board of Pensions and Health Benefits for the UMC.

Mr. Valade received a bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University in electrical engineering and a masters degree from M.S.U. in accounting.

Margaret A. Valade, Doctor of Humane Letters

Margaret Valade, center, is honored during the ceremony.

Margaret Valade’s career as a teacher and a supporter of the arts began with a bachelor’s degree in music from Michigan State University. She became fascinated with the Suzuki method of teaching violin and became one of the first in southeast Michigan to use that instructional method. For 25 years, she taught Suzuki to pre-school students privately and at the Detroit Community Music School and the Institute for Music and Dance at Detroit’s Center for Creative Studies. Later she became assistant band director at Troy High School, at the same time developing a fascination with computer technology.

Her love of music led to support for Meadowbrook Hall, the Interlochen Academy for the Arts, and the Troy Music Society, where she organized a community string ensemble. Margaret Valade has generously supported Adrian College programs including music, theater, and journalism.