Golden Apple Award Recipients

2023

Pam Schwallier
B.S.'06, Elementary Education; Ed.S.'16, Educational Leadership; Ph.D.'20, Educational Leadership K-12 

View her biography

Jamie Korinek
B.S.'03, Elementary Education.; M.A.'09, Educational Leadership
View her biography

2022

Dr. DeAnna Burt-Nanna

Ph.D.'09, Educational Leadership: Higher Education
View her biography

Dr. Diane Owen-Rogers
B.A.'01, Secondary Education; Ph.D.'14, Evaluation - Interdisciplinary CEHD

View her biography

2021

Mark Bielang
B.S.'74, Industrial Education; M.A.'81, Educational Leadership
View his biography

Dr. Sandy Standish
B.S.'79, Business Education; M.A.'85, Counseling; Ed.D.'04, Educational Leadership
View her biography

2019

Dr. Margaret McGlinchey
B.A.'77, Secondary Education: Psychology
Read her biography

Dr. Wayne "Rusty" Stitt
M.A.'99, Educational Leadership; Ph.D.'10, Educational Leadership
Read his biography

2018

Dr. Manuel Brenes
Dr. Manuel Brenes
Ph.D.'12, Evaluation, Measurement and Research

Principal, San Juan Diego Academy

Tracy Daniel
Tracy Daniel
B.A.'87, Physical Education; M.A.'94, Physical Education

Physical education instructor and coach, Comstock Public Schools

Dr. John Severson
Dr. John Severson
B.S.'87, Secondary Education; M.A.'94, Educational Leadership; Ph.D.'13, Educational Leadership

Superintendent, Muskegon Intermediate School District

2017

Dr. Dennis McCrumb
Dr. Dennis McCrumb
B.S.'71, Physical Education and Mathematics

Professor and Program Coordinator of Educational Leadership, WMU College of Education and Human Development

Dr. Richard Sanchez
Dr. Richard Sanchez
Ed.D.'72, Educational Leadership

President, Navarro College

2016

robert ezelle
Robert Ezelle
B.S.'94, Physical Education

Chief Operating Officer, Boys and Girls Club

teresa neal
Teresa Neal
M.A.'00, Educational Leadership

Superintendent, Grand Rapids Public Schools

von washington
Von Washington Jr.
M.A.'94, Educational Leadership

Executive Director of Community Relations, The Kalamazoo Promise

2015

Dale Schreuder
Dale Schreuder
B.A.'72, Elementary Education; M.A.'77, Educational Leadership

Retired Superintendent, Bloomingdale Public Schools

Rigoberto Rincones-gomez
Dr. Rigoberto Rincones-Gómez
M.A.'00, Educational Leadership; Ph.D.'02, Evaluation, Measurement, and Research

Associate Vice President of Institutional Research, Planning, Effectiveness and Analytics (IRPEA), Broward College

2014

Stephanie Burrage
Stephanie Burrage
B.A.'90
Executive director of school achievement services at Wayne RESA

Ana Gil-Garcia
Ana Gil-Garcia
Ed.D.'91
Professor of educational leadership and development at Northeastern Illinois University 

2013

Garrett Boersma
Garrett Boersma
Ed.D.'79

Retired Assistant Superintendent for Special Education, Kalamazoo Regional Educational Service Agency (KRESA)

Linda Powell

Linda Powell
B.S.'70; M.A.'71

Retired Business Management, Marketing and Technology Instructor, Portage Northern High School

Lisa Williams
Lisa Williams
B.A.'98; M.A.'04

Principal, Ferndale Public Schools

 

 

2012

Mark Reiney
John Mark Rainey
Ed.D.'07

Grant Administrator, Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators

Kali Lghtfoot
Kali Lightfoot
B.A.'67

Executive Director, University of Southern Maine National Resource Center for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes

Kimberly A. English Davis
Kimberly A. English Davis
B.S.'87

Principal, Detroit Charles H. Wright Academy of Art and Science 

 

 

2011

Betty Ongley
Betty Ongley
B.S.'47; M.A.'58; Certificate'84
Retired Teacher, Counselor and Guidance Director, Portage Public Schools 

James Menchinger
James Menchinger
B.A.'62; M.A.'66
WMU Coordinator of Student Interns
Forensics Co-Coach, Portage Northern High School 

Cynthia Green
Cynthia Green
B.S.'80; M.A.'93
Assistant Superintendent for Student Services, Kalamazoo Public Schools 

Leisha Crawford
Liesha Crawford
B.S.'84
Teacher for the Physically Impaired and Otherwise Health Impaired, Alger Middle School, Grand Rapids Public Schools

 

 

2010

Liliana Rodriguez-Campos
Liliana Rodriguez-Campos
M.A.'00; Ph.D.'02

Jethro Jaye Johnson
Jethro Jaye Johnson
M.A.'75

Dennis Patzer
Dennis Patzer
B.S.'75; M.A.'86

2009

The Late Dr. Geoff Balkam
The Late Dr. Geoff Balkam
Ed.D.'79
Superintendent, Climax-Scotts Public Schools

Ms. Mary Blakely
Mary Blakely
M.A.'85
Principal-Superintendent, Youth Advancement Academy

Ms. Pamela K. Ide
Pamela K. Ide
M.A.'94
Teacher and Mentor Coach, Winchell Elementary School, Kalamazoo Public Schools 

Dr. V. Clayton Sherman
Dr. V. Clayton Sherman
Ed.D.'75

Chairman, Management House Incorporated

2008

Mr. Willie Gill, Jr.
Willie Gill, Jr.
B.S.'70

Assistant Principal, Kettering High School

Dr. Bruce Kocher
Dr. Bruce Kocher
B.S.'59; M.A.'60; Ed.D.'75
Vice President for Academic Services, Kalamazoo Valley Community College

Mrs. Janet Lee
Janet Lee
B.A.'70; M.A.'98
Principal, Climax-Scotts Elementary Schools

2007

Mr. Dene William Hadden
Dene William Hadden
B.S.'69; M.A.'74
Principal, South Haven High School

Dr. James Hawkins
Dr. James Hawkins
B.A.'63

Superintendent, Ypsilanti Public Schools

Mrs. Rhonda Vander Veen

Rhonda Vander Veen
B.S.'84
Elementary Teacher, Portage Public Schools

2006

Mr. Fred Decker
Fred Decker
B.S.'64; M.A.'68

Retired faculty in Intercollegiate Athletics, Western Michigan University

Mr. John Dominguez, Jr.
Mr. John Dominguez, Jr.
M.A.'70

Retired Director of Migrant and Bilingual Programs, Van Buren Intermediate School District

Mrs. Leta Schoenhals
Mrs. Leta Schoenhals
B.A.'42; M.A.'65; Ed.S.'68

Retired School Counselor, Portage High School

2005

Dr. Josephine Barry-Davis
Dr. Josephine Barry-Davis
Ed.D.'72
Assistant Professor, WMU Department of Teaching, Learning and Educational Studies

Dr. Craig Misner
Dr. Craig Misner
B.S.'69; M.A.'72; Ed.D.'84
Superintendent, Kalamazoo Regional Education Service Agency (KRESA) 

Image
Dr. A. L. "Mike" Sebaly
B.A.'33
Professor Emeritus, WMU Department of Education and Professional Development

2004

Mr. Terry Kuseske
Terry Kuseske
B.A.'72
Teacher, Hamilton Middle School

Mrs. Vivian Davis
Vivian Davis
M.A.'85
Counselor, Albion High School

Mrs. Bertha McNeal
Bertha McNeal
B.A.'63; M.A.'75

Retired Music Teacher, Milwood Middle School

2003

Mr. Van Dickerson
Van Dickerson
B.A.'78; M.A.'93
Principal, Phoenix High School Alternative Education, Kalamazoo Public Schools

Dr. Sandra Gagie
Dr. Sandra Gagie
Ed.D.'78
Owner/Director, Gagie School, Kalamazoo 

Mrs. Vickie Winfield
Vickie Winfield
B.A.'71; M.A.'79
Retired Principal, Winchell Elementary School, Kalamazoo Public Schools

2002

Mrs. Kathleen Adams
Kathleen Adams
B.S.'72
Teacher, Upton Middle School, St. Joseph Public Schools

Dr. M. Arthur Garmon
Dr. M. Arthur Garmon
B.A.'70; M.A.'75
Associate Professor, WMU College of Education and Human Development  

Mrs. Joy Reinstein
Joy Reinstein
B.S.'64; M.A.'72
Teacher, Sunset Lake Elementary School, Vicksburg Community Schools

2001

Ms. Nancy Amar
Nancy Amar
B.S.'71

Retired Teacher, Portage Public Schools

Ms. Christie Enstrom
Christie Enstrom
B.A.'76; M.A.'80

Principal, Woodward Magnet School for Technology and Research, Kalamazoo Public Schools

Dr. Robert Hamet
Dr. Robert Hamet
B.S.'62; M.A.'64; Ed.D.'74
Retired Superintendent, Comstock Public Schools

2000

Diane E. DeFord
Dr. Diane E. DeFord
Ph.D.'78
Professor, Ohio State University


Judy Brush Douglass
Judy Brush Douglass
B.A.'69
Teacher, Louise Peacock Elementary School, Corunna, MI

Charles Glaes
Charles Glaes
B.A.'76; M.A.'82
Principal, Vicksburg Middle Schools

1999

Dr. James O. Ansel (Posthumous)
Dr. James O. Ansel (Posthumous)
B.A.'35
Retired Faculty, WMU College of Education and Human Development
Retired Teacher and Principal, Michigan Public Schools

Judy McGowan
Judy McGowan
B.A.'66
Retired Teacher, Milwood Middle School

Martha J. Orloff
Martha J. Orloff
Physical Education Program Aquatic Coordinator, Texas A&M University

1998

John M. Gazella
John M. Gazella
B.A.'68
Teacher, Corunna Public Schools

Bettie Goodman
Bettie Goodman
B.S.'63
Professor, Mott Community College

Patricia M. Reeves
Patricia M. Reeves
B.A.'79

Superintendent, Vicksburg Community Schools