Women's Commission presents Lifetime Achievement Awards

Grand Valley’s Women’s Commission presented Lifetime Achievement Awards to two people who have collaborated closely on co-curricular and academic programs.

Kathleen Underwood, director of the Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies department, and JoAnn Wassenaar, associate director of the Women’s Center, each received the commission’s highest honor during the March 31 Celebrating Women Awards ceremony. Both women plan to retire at the end of the winter semester.

Gretchen Galbraith, associate dean for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, helped present the awards. Galbraith said she was grateful for Underwood’s leadership in expanding what was Women and Gender Studies from a program to a department, increasing its faculty members and adding an LGBTQ minor.

Susan Sloop, Work Life consultant, said Wassenaar was responsible for establishing and enhancing many campus programs, including Girls in Sports Day, Girls on the Run, Ready to Run Michigan and Indulge in a Cause. Wassenaar also helped establish the career coach position in Human Resources.

Marlene Kowalski-Braun, assistant vice provost for Student Affairs, said Underwood and Wassenaar were responsible for training “the next generation of social change agents” through the Women’s Community Collaborative class, a partnership between WGSS and the Women’s Center.

Other awards presented are listed below.

• Maxine Swanson Award: Mary deYoung, professor of sociology
• Women’s Impact Award: Shorouq Almallah, associate director of the Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation
• Unsung Hero Award: Linda Rettig, office coordinator for the Student Academic Success Center
• Jean Enright Scholarship: Mallory Caillaud-Jones and Alexandra Mitchell
• Positive Black Women Scholarships: Dai’jah Todd, Parryss Carter-McGee and Vanessa Thompson
• Outstanding Student Awards: Kanya Doan, Challie Frostick, Katie Mehrer, Jay Jay Kottutt and Asia Thomas