April 14, 2015

SVSU Honors Businessman/Philanthropist and Outstanding Faculty and Staff

Saginaw Valley State University honored a noted Saginaw businessman and philanthropist with a long history of support and commitment to SVSU and the Great Lakes Bay Region, as well as outstanding faculty and staff during SVSU's All-University Awards Banquet Friday, April 10.

The Distinguished Service Medallion, SVSU's most prestigious award for a community member, was given to Jim Wolohan, president of Wolohan Investments LLC and previous president and CEO of Wolohan Lumber Co.

Wolohan has worked tirelessly to advance organizations throughout the Great Lakes Bay Region, including SVSU. He served 11 years on the Board of Directors of the SVSU Foundation, including two terms as chair, and remains involved as an honorary director and member of the finance and investment committee.

Recently, the Wolohan Family Foundation established the Richard V. Wolohan Fellowship in Leadership and Service at SVSU. The inaugural class was selected in 2014 and consists of eight students - all from Saginaw County - who have been meeting with leaders from Saginaw to Washington, D.C. and have begun planning a campaign aimed at bolstering their home community's image.

Several SVSU faculty and staff members also received recognition for outstanding achievement and dedicated service during the 26th annual ceremony. Tami Sivy, associate professor of chemistry, received the prestigious Franc A. Landee Teaching Excellence Award. Paul Teed, professor of history, received the Earl Warrick Award for Excellence in Research. The House Family Award for Teacher Impact was presented to Debbie Lively, professor of teacher education. Nick Wagner received the Mary H. Anderson Adjunct Faculty Award for his part-time teaching role in the Master of Arts in Administrative Science program.

The Bank of America Ruben Daniels Community Service Award was presented to Dave Rzeszutek, assistant professor of theatre. The award is SVSU's highest recognition of community service and involvement by an employee. Two recipients were given the Terry Ishihara Award for Outstanding Co-Curricular Involvement: Nameeta Mathur, professor of history; and Jason Wolverton, director of Marketplace at Doan for SVSU Dining Services.

Dave Hall, a retired SVSU executive-in-residence and community leader, received the Roosevelt Ruffin Diversity Award and Dorie Wenglikowski, manager of custodial operations, received the Outstanding Performance Award.