Shinsky receives humanitarian award

John Shinsky, interim dean of the College of Education, has been named the 2015 recipient of the Big Ten Dungy-Thompson Humanitarian Award.

The award recognizes Big Ten players who have achieved success in the area of humanitarianism after college; Shinsky was an All-American football player for Michigan State University. He was a three-year letter winner from 1970-73, earning Academic All-America recognition and second-team All-Big Ten honors in 1973. 

As a former orphan, Shinsky has committed his life to serving the needs of abandoned children. He and his wife, Cindy, are co-founders of Ciudad de los Niños, "The City of the Children," orphanage in Matamoros, Mexico. 

"I am humbled to receive this award and consider it a tribute to all of the exceptional people who have supported me and Cindy for the past 10 years with building and operating the orphanage," Shinsky said. "I also want to recognize Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos, our partner organization, and our 100 beautiful children who have entrusted us with their lives with the hope that they will receive what they need to become caring and contributing adults who will reverse the pattern of abuse, neglect and abandonment that they have been so accustomed to experiencing."   

The Dungy-Thompson Humanitarian Award is named for Minnesota’s Tony Dungy and Indiana’s Anthony Thompson. For more information about the orphanage, visit www.shinskyorphanage.org.

Dungy-Thompson Humanitarian Award recipients include: 

2011: George Taliaferro, Indiana University

2012: Chris Spielman, Ohio State University

2013: Drew Brees, Purdue University

2014: Brian Griese, University of Michigan

2015: John Shinsky, Michigan State University