Pi Alpha Alpha

Pi Alpha Alpha is the national honor society for the field of public affairs and public administration. The purpose of this society is to encourage and recognize outstanding scholarship and accomplishment in public affairs and administration. The society seeks to promote the advancement of quality in the education and practice of the art and science of public affairs and administration.

2007 Induction

At SPNA's annual Spring Celebration, 25 April 2007, the Grand Valley State University chapter of the Pi Alpha Alpha Honor Society inducted nine new student members. One new honorary memebers were also inducted: Thomas A. McQuillan. The ceremony was held in Loosemore Auditorium of DeVos Center.

Tom McQuillan is the Director of Information Technology for the City of Grand Rapids. He has held this position since April 1982. Tom was awarded the "Leadership Award" at the 2006 Michigan Digital Government Summit. He has led the department from "Punch Card" to "Mobile WI-MAX" technology. Tom has been featured in local, state, and national publications with the most recent articles regarding the WI-MAX project. Tom serves as the CIO for the City and reviews all computer and telecommunication transactions. He has over thirty years of experience on a multitude of projects and negotiating contracts and outsourcing agreements. Tom has worked for Financial, Manufacturing, and Governmental organizations. Tom has worked collaboratively with State, County, and local governments on issues of emerging technologies, sharing best business practices, and strategic directions. He has lobbied on behalf of local government with the Michigan Legislature regarding the Michigan Telecommunications Act. Tom is a frequent speaker at local, state, and regional conferences regarding a variety of technology and management issues. Tom is a graduate from Michigan State University.

Also honored during the ceremonies was Heidi L. DeRoo who received the 2007 Best Student Paper Award for "Recognizing the Paradox: Restructuring an Intentionally Multinational - North American NGO". Heidi has a bachelors of social work from Calvin College. She completed her MPA in Fall 2006. Heidi organized World Refugee Day 2005, quadrupling the number of church volunteers attending the event from previous years. She wrote and was awarded grants to expand program capacity in areas of outreach and community involvement to reduce infant mortality while working at a Chicago community health center. She developed and taught a class on "Managing Change and Complexity" at Uganda Christian University as well as lead workshops on the same subject matter in both Bucharest and Cluj, Romania.

Dr. Balfour was recognized with a plaque presented by by Dean Mulder for his eleven years of service as Director of the School of Public and Nonprofit Administration. Dan said, "There can't be many better jobs than working to advance public service education in the great environs of West Michigan nd Grand Valley State University. Nonetheless, I'm going to enjoy getting back to a focus on teaching, scholarship, and contributing to the school as a faculty member."

The student inductees, who were graduating in 2007, were chosen for their outstanding scholarship. Inductees were (from left to right): Louis Canfield, Katherine Fuller, David Bleckley, William O'Donnell, Alyssa Vasquez, John Ranville, Melia Tourangeau, and Rafel Hejne. (Inductee Noel VanNess is not pictured.) The faculty inductees were Seong Gin Moon, Quincy Williams and Ramya Ramanath.

2006 Induction

At SPNA's annual Spring Celebration, 26 April 2005, the Grand Valley State University chapter of the Pi Alpha Alpha Honor Society inducted nine new student members. Two new honorary memebers were also inducted: Reverend Myles and Michael F. Reagan. The ceremony was held in the Regency Room of DeVos Center.

Reverend Myles Fish graduated from North Carolina State with a degree in aquatic biology. He then joined the Peace Corps, spending three years teaching Guatemala's Mayan Indians how to build ponds so they could raise fish to supplement their diets. Inspired by this experience, he entered Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, graduating with a Master of Divinity in 1984, and was ordained by the American Baptist Churches USA in 1986. Fish first joined Prison Fellowship Ministries, headed by Chuck Colson, as a volunteer to earn academic credit for field education. He spent 17 years with this ministry, eventually becoming Senior Vice President of Ministry Services. In June 2001, he became president of International Aid, a Christian relief and development agency based in Spring Lake, Michigan. Michael F. Reagan is president and CEO of Project Rehab, a statewide non-profit health care organization based in Grand Rapids that provides substance abuse and mental health treatment and prevention services. Many of its clients are offenders. Reagan, who has a master’s degree in counseling psychology, is president of the Association of Michigan Licensed Substance Abuse Organizations, a member of the Criminal Justice Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Statewide Task Force, a board member of the Citizens Alliance on Prisons and Public Spending. Reagan teaches human resource management for SPNA.

Also honored during the ceremonies was Rachel R. Ruser, who received the 2006 Best Student Paper Award. Russer graduated from Calvin Christian High School and obtained a bachlor of business from Western Michigan University. She completed her MPA in Fall 2005.

The student inductees, who were graduating in 2006, were chosen for their outstanding scholarship. Inductees were (from left to right): Nathan Tonning, Myles Fish (honorary), Michael Reagan (honorary), John Huebler, Ana Aguilar, Dan Balfour (SPNA director), Elizabeth Copeland, Camilla Erion, Sue Nieboer, and Aubrey Gale. (Inductees Shannon McMaster and Rebecca McDonald, are not pictured.)

2005 Induction

At SPNA's annual Spring Celebration, 26 April 2005, the Grand Valley State University chapter of the Pi Alpha Alpha Honor Society inducted one honorary member and eight new student members. The ceremony was held in the Regency Room of DeVos Center.

The honorary Pi Alpha Alpha inductee was James W. F. Brooks, the visionary leader of Alpha Genesis. Prior to starting Alpha Genesis with his son, Scott, Brooks was Chairman and CEO of Beverage America. Brooks has served as director of the Michigan Soft Drink Association, the National Soft Drink Association, First Michigan Bank, Davenport College Foundation, and Sligh Furniture Company. Brooks is also a member of the Chief Executives Association, the World Presidents' Organization, the Young Presidents' Organization, and the Holland Chamber of Commerce. He has been inducted into the Beverage World Hall of Fame and the West Michigan Business Hall of Fame. Some of Brooks' community involvement includes serving as chairman of the West Michigan Strategic Alliance and vice chairman of the Grand Valley State University Foundation Board. With his wife Donna, Brooks received the 2004 Distinguished Philanthropist Award for West Michigan. He earned his B.S. and MBA from Michigan State University.

Also honored during the evening's ceremonies was Donna Van Iwaarden, who is retiring from the SPNA faculty and from the directorship of the Johnson Center for Philanthropy. She came to GVSU in 1993 after teaching at the University of North Carolina - Asheville. For SPNA, she taught health administration, health policy, and health finance. Van Iwaarden has been actively involved in the Grand Rapids and Holland communities, having served on the boards of Priority Health, Horizons of West Michigan, the Ottawa County Workforce Development Board, the Pediatric Asthma Network of West Michigan, and the Michigan Nonprofit Association. Here greatest legacy is having been the founding director of the Community Research Institute.

The student inductees, who were graduating in 2005, were chosen for their outstanding scholarship. Inductees were (from left to right): Kathleen M. Wilson, Dawne M. Bell, Maria Gajewski, James Brooks (honorary), Laura Hollemans, Heather Mack, Dan Balfour (SPNA Director), and Rod Mulder (College Dean). (Inductees Sharon Ellens, James Gust, and Marcie Hillary are not pictured.)

2004 Induction

At SPNA's annual Spring Celebration, 20 April 2004, the Grand Valley State University chapter of the Pi Alpha Alpha Honor Society inducted two new honorary members, nine new student members, and three new faculty members. The ceremony was held in the Loosemore Auditorium and adjacent Regency Room of DeVos Center.

The honorary Pi Alpha Alpha inductees were Rector Ryszard Borowiecki and Vice Rector Janusz Teczke of Akademia Ekonomiczna w Krakowie (Cracow University of Economics). They were visiting Grand Rapids to formalize the expanded exchange relationship between their University and GVSU.

The new faculty members were: Steven Borders who joined SPNA in 2003 after being a researcher the Public Policy Research Institute at Texas A&M; Jane Sponholz who joined SPNA in 2003 after earning her Ph.D. in Health Policy and Planning from the Bloustein School of Policy and Planning at Rutgers University; and Richard Jelier, who joined SPNA in 1995 after receiving a dual Ph.D. from Michigan State University in Political Science-Urban Studies.

The student inductees, who were graduating in 2004, were chosen for their outstanding scholarship. Inductees were (from left to right): Angela J. Morris, Chad A. Kewish, Mary Ann Rankin, Jennifer L. Moore, Kristin V. Middendorf, Kim R. Oostindie, and Karen J. Messick. (Inductees Stephen Faber and Za Martin are not pictured.)

2003 Induction

On 23 April 2003, the Grand Valley State University chapter of the Pi Alpha Alpha Honor Society inducted one new honorary member, ten new student members, and a new faculty member. The ceremony was held in the Hager-Lubbers Exhibition Hall of the Richard C. DeVos Center. (The multi-colored backdrop to the ceremony, seen in some of the photos, was Fortunes of Nature by Harold Linton)

The honorary Pi Alpha Alpha inductee was chosen for professional accomplishments and service to the larger community. The new honorary member was Daryl J. Delabbio, who has served as Kent County Administrator / Controller since September 1998. The new faculty member was Dan Immergluck, who joined SPNA in 2002 after being a researcher and Senior Vice President at Chicago's Woosdtock Institute.

The student inductees, who were graduating in 2003, were chosen for their outstanding scholarship. Inductees were (from left to right): Chad A. Kewish Karen J. Messick Kristin V. Middendorf Jennifer L. Moore Angela J. Morris Kim R. Oostindie Mary Ann Rankin (Stephen Faber and Elizabeth Martin are not pictured.)

2002 Induction

On 17 April 2002, the Grand Valley State University chapter of the Pi Alpha Alpha Honor Society inducted two new honorary members and nine new student members. The ceremony was held in the Hager-Lubbers Exhibition Hall of the new Richard C. DeVos Center. (The multi-colored backdrop to the ceremony, seen in some of the photos, was Fortunes of Nature by Harold Linton)

The honorary Pi Alpha Alpha inductees were chosen for professional accomplish- ments and service to the larger community. The new honorary members were William R. Jewell, and Richard C. Breon, President. Jewell is an attorney with Smith, Haughey, Rice & Roegge and an adjunct SPNA faculty member. He received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Toledo, graduating cum laude in 1983. His area of expertise is health care law and he has experience representing hospitals, physicians, dentists and other health care providers. He is a member of the board of directors for Michigan Society of Healthcare Risk Management. He is a member of American Bar Association, State Bar of Michigan, Michigan Society of Healthcare Attorneys, Michigan Defense Trial Counsel, American Health Lawyers Association, American Society of Law, Medicine and Ethics. Breon is President & CEO of Spectrum Health.

In addition to the Pi Alpha Alpha induction, SPNA honored Margaret Sellers Walker who is ending her twelve year association with SPNA as a faculty member. Prior to joining GVSU, Margaret served as Assistant City Manager for the City of Grand Rapids, Personnel Director for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Personnel Director for the Detroit Public Library. She is former President of the International Personnel Management Association. She holds a BS in Humanistic Studies from Wayne State University and a Masters of Public Administration from Western Michigan University. Recognition for her professional and community service includes the Warner Stockberger Award presented by the International Personnel Management Association, The Tribute! Award from the YWCA, the Community Service Award presented by the Salvation Army and the "Women of Achievement and Courage" award from the Michigan Women's Foundation. She will continued with GVSU as Associate Director of the Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy.

The student inductees, who were graduating in 2002, were chosen for their outstanding scholarship. Graduating student inductees were (from left to right): Jill A. Montgomery, Cori L. Scholtens, Thomas E. Lee, Izabela Portka, Elizabeth L. Roe, Christine M. Bedford, Kasen L. Bartels, Dan Balfour (SPNA director), and Kelly J. Plichta. Deborah A. Welch is not pictured.

2001 Induction

On 18 April 2001, the Grand Valley State University chapter of the Pi Alpha Alpha Honor Society inducted three new honorary members and thirteen new student members. The ceremony was held in the Hager-Lubbers Exhibition Hall of the new Richard C. DeVos Center.

The honorary members were chosen for professional accomplish- ments and service to the larger community. The new honorary members were (from left to right) Frank Bednarek, Administrator - Controller for Muskegon County, Donna K. Brooks, GVSU Board of Control President, and Arend D. Lubbers, retiring President of Grand Valley State University.

The student inductees, who were graduating in 2001, were chosen for their outstanding scholarship. Graduating student inductees were (from left to right): Laura J. Aker, Laura J. Craft, Dawn DeVries, Paul M. Erlandson, Melanie V. Grooters, Lisa J. Hofman, Patricia M. MacDonell, James A. Koens, James L. Ypma, Dr. Dan Balfour (SPNA director), Lynn M . Rabaut, Wendy J. Ohst, Deanna B. Rolffs-Elzinga and Angela K Will. (The stunning backdrop to the ceremony, seen in the photo, was Fortunes of Nature by Harold Linton)

2000 Induction

On 26 April 2000, the Grand Valley State University chapter of the Pi Alpha Alpha Honor Society inducted ten new student members and two new honorary members. The students, who were graduating in 2000, were chosen for their outstanding scholarship. The honorary members were chosen for professional accomplishments and service to the larger community. The honorary members were Micki Benz, Vice President of Community Development for St. Mary's Hospital, and David S. Haynes, lobbyist with Public Affairs Associates.

Inductees, from left to right are David S. Haynes, Daniel Shaw, Carrie Montgomery, Janet Giverson, Pamela Jacobs, Rachele Bennett, Christine Ryan, Beatrice Long-Koolovitz, Heide Pronk, William Phelps and Micki Benz. SPNA director Dan Balfour is far right. Not pictured is Kate Palmer.

Honorary members inducted prior to 2000

Hon. James Buck – 1999
Gerald Felix – 1999
Bill Gonzales – 1996
Kurt Kimball – 1998
Terry O’Rourke – 1996
Diana Sieger – 1998
Dennis Sturtevant – 1997
Mary Alice Williams – 1997