The Ohio State Alumni Club of Western Michigan
Number of members: 161
Recent award(s): 2005, 2009, 2010 Gold Star Alumni Club; 2006, 2008 Outstanding Alumni Club; 2010 OSUAA Diversity Grant; 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009 Buckeye All-Stars
What you do: As many will know, it's not always easy being a Buckeye in Michigan--thus the Ohio State University alumni club of West Michigan enjoys every opportunity it has, to show what a great group of Buckeyes live, work and contribute to life in West Michigan.
Our club has volunteered for WGVU's Public Television since the mid-80's We have continued to volunteer for the WVGU Telethons at least once a year and thoroughly enjoy answering phones during the station's pledge drives. Our club is very proud of the $15,740.00 in pledges we received during ONE evening in December 2008. Club members have also volunteered in several other Community Service Projects including: Habitat for Humanity, the Annual Blood Drive Competition between the alumni clubs of Michigan State, Notre Dame and the University of Michigan, monetary and food donations to the local Feeding America Food Bank and volunteering at a Mobile Food Pantry, our annual ABCD clothing donations to Mel Trotter Ministries, and contributing to Operation Overdrive which sends care packages to U.S. military personnel stationed overseas. Several club members also serve as representatives of Ohio State at several local college fairs each fall.
Our local alumni club serves the 1,200-plus alumni, family and friends that live in West Michigan and is proud to boast that our members come from as far as Traverse City, Lowell, East Lansing, Muskegon, Holland, Kalamazoo, Jackson as well as the Grand Rapids area. We are able to provide blocks of tickets to a home and away football and basketball game each year as well as blocks of tickets to Ohio State events here in Michigan. Our club has hosted networking happy hours and invited alumni from several other Ohio colleges and universities. We are looking forward to our 4th year of participation in The Annual Crying Towel--a fun, tailgate to kick off the football season each fall with the alumni clubs of Michigan State and Notre Dame.
It is not all work and no fun for the Buckeyes of West Michigan. We gather each weekend for football game watches in the family-friendly, private, non-smoking room at Buffalo Wild Wings on 44th Street, with free door prizes and fun for all ages. You can usually find some Buckeyes there for basketball games as well, especially Big Ten and NCAA Tournament games.
Our biggest Scholarship Fund Raiser is our Annual Golf Outing, which will take place on June 26, 2011, at Thornapple Pointe Golf Course. A day of Buckeye Camaraderie is topped by great prizes and a Silent Auction of Buckeye Memorabilia. With former Buckeye Defensive Back, Sonny Gordon, on our Board of Directors, it’s not uncommon to see other Buckeye Football greats showing off their golf swing at our outings. Proceeds are contributed to our Endowed Scholarship Fund which allows us to provide Scholarships to local students for their freshman year at Ohio State.
In addition, the club hosts:
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An annual summer picnic and Student Send-Off for current and new Ohio State students and their families and club members
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Annual Spring Dinner with Ohio State speaker.
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An Annual BEAT M*ch*g*n BASH during Michigan Week, usually with more than 100 Buckeyes in attendance
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White Caps baseball outing with on-field competitions against Wolverine Fans
Diversity programming:
In 2010 we were awarded an OSUAA Diversity grant. We developed a partnership with four local colleges/universities to sponsor a month-long exhibit of racist memorabilia titled, “THEM: Images of Separation.” The exhibit drew more than 1,100 visitors and received broad media coverage. An accompanying lecture by OSU alumnus, Dr. David Pilgrim, Chief Diversity Officer at Ferris State University, drew 180 persons and was replayed on public television.
Scholarship activity:
Our club’s endowment fund was seeded with $16,000 in May of 1999. Presently, the value of this fund’s principal balance is just under $45,000. This principal balance remains invested on our behalf, and the interest that is generated each year by this fund, is used to present merit-based scholarships to 2-6 local high school seniors who will be attending Ohio State as first-year students.
Quotes from club scholarship recipients:
Becky (LaVille) Matlak '07: “The OSU West Michigan Alumni Scholarship helped connect me to the Ohio State alumni at the earliest point of my college career. It not only helped me financially, but also gave me a network of Buckeyes who supported me through my four years at Ohio State and even after graduation! It is nice to be a part of a group of Buckeyes in the state up north!”
Scholarship contributions:
Contributions to the The West Michigan Alumni Scholarship Fund Account # 607657 can be made here: SCHOLARSHIPS
Notable alumni:
Dr. Nick Bruns '84 and Jane VanWormer Bruns '84, owners and president/ vice president of Clearwater Wasabi, Inc. 99% of the green-colored hot dollops found on your sushi platters are not real wasabi. Nick and Jane are changing that, by growing true wasabi in their state-of-the-art greenhouse in Hickory Corners, Mich. Next time you order sushi – be sure to ask if you are eating wasabi or horseradish!
Ed Clark '67, Chairman, CEO of American Seating Company. Founded in 1886, American Seating is a major manufacturer of seating for bus, railcar, sports/performing arts venues and offices. American Seating has provided the VIP seating in Ohio Stadium stadium, Value City Arena, The Wexner Center for the Arts, the new Ohio Union, the Ogui State bus fleet, the furniture in Longaberger Alumni House and products for numerous other locations throughout campus. Ed has also served two terms on the OSUAA Board of Directors.
Dr. Raymond Fuller '54, renowned cardiologist, retired. In June, 2010 Raymond was a recipient of the Distinguished Physician Society Award at Spectrum Health in recognition of his extraordinary contributions to the quality of care provided to patients and families during his 37 years of practice in West Michigan.
Howard Nourse '60, executive vice president/partner of The Timothy Group. Howard was a member of the 1960 Ohio State men’s basketball national championship team.
Dr. David Pilgrim '82, chief diversity officer and founder of the Jim Crow Museum at Ferris State University, Big Rapids, Mich. The museum houses more than 7,000 objects depicting racism, hate, and intolerance depicted in common things like post cards, tee-shirts, games, souvenirs, and posters. These stereotypic images are used to teach tolerance, acceptance, and inclusion.
M. Rosita Schiller, RSM, PhD '72, St. Mary’s Health Care; professor emeritus, School of Allied Medical Professions, The Ohio State University. She is a recipient of numerous awards and recognized globally as an educator, author, and leader in the field of dietetics.
What readers may not know about your city/area.
Furniture City U.S.A.: Early Grand Rapids earned the nickname "the furniture city," because it was the first center of mass-produced furniture in North America. It is home to major furniture companies such as Steelcase, American Seating, Haworth, and Herman Miller. At the Grand Rapids Museum, The Furniture City exhibit is the Museum's largest and most-studied exhibit, a complete history of furniture manufacturing in West Michigan.
Favorite Ohio State memories: From various members; include names and graduation year(s).
Dave Conrad '64 lived in the old Stadium Dormitory his freshman year in 1958 and remembers making front page coverage in the Lantern, in the spring of 1959, when Ohio State moved all the residents to the brand new 11th Ave. high rise dorms. There were students who resisted the change by hanging an effigy of President Faucett from Stadium goal posts.
Donna Abramovich Waters '78: "What better place to meet your future spouse (Barry Waters '78) than at Ohio State–and especially at Papa Joe’s after the Mon-Fri, 8-5 days that we had in Dental Hygiene. Can’t imagine not being married to another Buckeye! Now it’s fun visiting our youngest daughter on campus and sharing the memories that she’s making at OSU."
Contact information
If you, or anyone you know, would be interested in joining The Ohio State Alumni Club of West Michigan, please send an email to:
President/Membership: Donna Waters, OSUWestMI@aol.com, (616) 460-2266. More information is available at www.wmibucks.com and find us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
You do not need to be a graduate of Ohio State to join. GO BUCKS!