Center for Ethics, Service, and Professionalism

Nominate someone for a Great Deed!

Great Deeds Awards are given to a staff or faculty member each year at each campus to recognize outstanding commitment to community service, either through sustained service or through a single extraordinary act. Nominations are accepted from anyone who would like to see a Cooley staff or faculty member recognized for outstanding community service.

Great Deeds Awards will be given up to once per term per campus to recognize students who have demonstrated outstanding commitment to the service of others. Students may be nominated by classmates, staff, faculty, or members of the community who have witnessed our students going above and beyond in the area of public service, whether through long-term commitment or through a single act of great service.

The Great Deeds Award

Each year Cooley's Center for Ethics, Service, and Professionalism presents a Great Deeds Award to a faculty or staff member who has exhibited an outstanding dedication to community service throughout the year. Nominations are received from students, staff, faculty, community leaders, and people whose lives have been touched by a Cooley employees Great Deeds, and winners are selected by a committee comprised of previous winners and members of Cooley's Professionalism Team.

The recipients of the 2009 Great Deeds Awards are:

Julie Clement – Lansing Campus

Julie Clement, associate professor and recipient of this year Great Deeds Award at the Lansing campus, has had an incredible impact on the lives of over 4000 people. She has done so much for her community of Portland, Michigan that literally every resident has benefitted from her tireless service.

Portland, an idyllic Midwestern town just west of Lansing, can boast of a boardwalk along the river, and a cultural Arts Center because of Julie's exceptional grant writing skills. Without her leadership and annual polar plunge fundraiser the Portland Arts Council would have no operating budget. Julie also offers her expertise, compassion and patience to serve as the city's "Plain Language Consultant" and currently as Mayor Pro-Tem. Anyone that can so positively touch the lives of so many is very deserving of recognition. by the Cooley Center for Ethics, Service, and Professionalism through its Great Deeds Award.

Danielle Hall – Grand Rapids Campus

Danielle Hall, Career Service Coordinator at the Grand Rapids campus, continually gives of her time and talents to a long list of charitable causes. Each week for the past two and a half years she has tutored grade students at Campau Park Elementary, an inner-city school that is supported through Heart of West Michigan's United Way "Schools of Hope" program. Danielle also volunteers for United Way's "Day of Caring." This year she cooked and served lunch to residents at a low income housing complex in Grand Rapids. While there she took the time to talk to the residents, get to know them, and be a friend.

For many years Danielle has given Cooley students, faculty and staff, as well as their families and friends, the opportunity for socializing and camaraderie while raising money for breast cancer research by organizing a Cooley team to participate in the American Cancer Society's "Making Strides – Walk for a Cure" Grand Rapids event. She has also been a long time supporter of the Lowell Pink Arrow Project, and worked hard at the recent opening of Gilda's Club, a community support facility, in Lowell, Michigan.

As Community Service/Pro Bono community Chair for the Women's Lawyers Association of Michigan Danielle is always researching and presenting community service and pro bono opportunities to the members of WLAM. Her enthusiasm and commitment to Cooley and to the communities in which she works and lives are deserving of recognition.

Audra Foster – Auburn Hills Campus

With no expectation of recognition Audra Foster, Campus Director at Auburn Hills, is very generous in giving to the school community and the community at large.

She routinely drives from Lansing to Auburn Hills to volunteer with Oakland County's "Meals on Wheels" program to deliver meals to area seniors. Audra organizes the Red Cross blood drives at the campus, and was instrumental in organizing, collecting and delivering over 200 Thanksgiving food baskets to needy families in Pontiac, Michigan. Her caring nature is also revealed when she arranges for cards, flowers, and prepared meals to be sent to faculty, staff and students who are ill, having a baby, or grieving the loss of a loved one. She even takes is upon herself to send congratulatory cards to Auburn Hills graduates that pass the bar.

Audra routinely supports various fund raising projects at Cooley and in the community by encouraging participation through raffle prizes she purchases herself. Audra’s giving nature, combined with her dedication and willingness to go above and beyond when helping others is a true inspiration to others, and makes her an excellent choice for the 2009 Great Deeds award.

Shady Yassin - Student

The Center for Ethics, Service, and Professionalism is pleased to recognize Mr. Shady Yassin as the inaugural recipient of the Student Great Deeds Award. Mr. Yassin went above and beyond what we expect from each other when faced with life-threatening danger.

Shady Yassin was sitting inside the Bitter End Coffee House around 1:30 a.m. on November 19 when a man brandishing a rifle rushed through the front door and ordered patrons to turn over their laptops and other valuables. While customers began complying with the gunman's command, Shady recognized an opportunity to disarm the bandit. He slammed him against a wall and wrestled the weapon away, even chasing the scared would-be robber down the block. As shop owner John Sprite said, "He came in and lost his gun and his pride."

We are proud of Shady's accomplishments in law school, and inspired by his bravery. Perhaps the experience will lend itself well to his planned career in criminal defense law (of course!).

In 2010 the award process will be expanded to include Cooley students. Nominations for Cooley students, faculty and staff for the 2010 Great Deeds Award are accepted throughout the year at www.cooley.edu/ethics. Questions about the award and the nomination process can be directed to Heather Spielmaker, Director of the Center for Ethics, Service, and Professionalism at spielmakeh@cooley.edu.

Winners of the Great Deeds Award for 2008

Nancy Wonch - Lansing Campus

Professor Nancy Wonch has been with Cooley since 2002 as part of the Professionalism Department. During her employment, she has been an inspiration to her colleagues through her outstanding contributions to our community.

Since 2002 Nancy has served as chairperson of the Lansing Education Advancement Foundation, and was also chair of the Lansing Citizen Bond Forum which devised and recommended to the Lansing School District a plan for a successful 2002 bond campaign. That work, coupled with her fundraising talents, helped the Lansing School District realize their goal of building a beautiful, safe, comfortable new middle school where Lansing’s 6th through 8th graders can prepare for the rigors of high school. Her efforts have also led to the establishment of six new scholarships for Lansing students. Her productive participation led to her invitation to be part of the Lansing School District Superintendent’s Advisory Committee.

As president of Advent House Ministries, Nancy’s commitment has touched the lives of the organization’s 2000 clients who face many challenges, including homelessness and abuse.

Aside from sitting on the Beekman Therapeutic Riding Center’s Advisory Board, Nancy really enjoys her position as volunteer horse-feeder at the Beekman Stables, where she not only supports the stable in offering therapeutic recreation for residents living with multiple disabilities, but where her close attention to detail also saved a horse named Cruiser from a potentially deadly illness in 2008.

Aletha Honsowitz - Grand Rapids Campus

Through excellent example and leadership Aletha has inspired everyone at the Grand Rapids campus to participate in the Heart of West Michigan United Way campaign. Each year since the campus opened, her efforts as coordinator have resulted in Cooley’s Grand Rapids campus achieving a 100% participation rate, as well as exceeding the campus’ monetary goals each year. Aletha also organizes the participation of students, faculty and staff in the local United Way Day of Caring. She has been the treasurer of the Cooley Alumni Association Board of Directors, and was chair of the Cooley Alumni Association Special Events Committee from 2004-2007.

Aletha shares her time and talents with many in the Grand Rapids and Lansing communities. She has served on the Board of Directors of Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Greater Lansing, was a 2006 Athena Award nominee, and was named a Woman of Achievement at the 2007 YWCA Tribute! Awards. Aletha also received the Marion Marshall Award for Volunteer Service from the Capitol Area United Way in 2002. Her dedication to Cooley students and to the individuals she has helped in surrounding communities makes her an inspiration to all who meet her.

Stevie Barachkov - Auburn Hills Campus

Professor Barachkov brings energy and enthusiasm for community service to the Auburn Hills campus. In 2008 Professor Barachkov raised $800 on behalf of a Pontiac Northern High School student in need. She also organized and launched this year’s Prom Dress/Tuxedo Drive to benefit students at Pontiac Northern High School. The program collected 93 dresses towards the Pontiac Northern Prom Dress Drive. She has also facilitated the donation of jewelry, shoes, purses, and tuxedo money to the cause.

Later in the year she, together with two of her Cooley classes, adopted a family and supplied the family’s Christmas dinner and gifts.

Other 2008 projects include: a charity drive for the Oakland County Homeless Education Initiative resulting in the donation of back packs, school supplies and gift cards for the organization; a charity drive for Macomb Intermediate School District that resulted in the collection and donation of $595 in gift cards and two large boxes of socks, hats, gloves and school supplies; and presentations on the law to two Practical Law classes at Rochester Adams High School.

Winners of the Great Deeds Award for 2007

Fred Puffenberger - Lansing Campus

Things you might not know about Fred:

• Former president of the National Association of College Stores and now central board member of the National Association of College Auxiliary Services.

• Board of directors and volunteer for Hospice of Lansing.

• Board of directors of Child and Family Services of the Capital Area.

• Volunteer on the Michigan Foster Care Review Board Program administered by the State Court Administrator's Office of the Michigan Supreme Court.

• He has his own baseball card.

• He has put a golfball through a moving train car and a shopping center.

Martha Moore - Auburn Hills Campus

From sock drives to meal preparation, Martha is always willing to help out with a good cause. This year Martha has been especially involved with the Interim House (a domestic violence shelter in Detroit), and she has set a wonderful example of community service for the students she brings along.

In addition, Martha has taken on a leadership role in promoting character development in Pontiac schools, helping young students write and perform skits about manners and speaking to older students about Kid Crimes.

Martha further advocates ethical behavior as secretary of the Attorney Grievance Commission. And I have heard that Martha even hosted 50 Cooley BALSA students in her home for a five course, home cooked meal.

Nelson Miller - Grand Rapids Campus

Since 1999, Nelson has helped low income and minority communities in Muskegon, Benton Harbor, and Grand Rapids with their legal needs through his pro bono service. At last count, he had assisted approximately 1,000 individuals. He not only met with clients but kept records and created a manual and guide to help non-profit centers seek funding and evaluate the needs of their constituents. His actions have helped 48 non-profit organizations to offer recreation, mentoring, housing and food pantries services to their clients. Nelson is also the author of many legal publications, serves on various boards and is active in the State Bar as a member of the Representative Assembly and the Equal Access Initiative Committee.

Great Deeds Award - Past Recipients

Tony Alvarado, Deputy Director of Admissions - Michaelmas Term 2007

I have been asked to give a synopsis of Tony Alvarado’s service to The Thomas M. Cooley Law School and the surrounding community, and I am honored to do so. Due to space and time limitations, I am not able to list ALL of Tony’s worthwhile accomplishments, but I will attempt to mention a few of his more notable achievements:

Cooley for Kids

Tony, by mere default, has become a Cooley ambassador of sorts. One of Tony’s worthwhile causes is the Cooley for Kids campaign. Tony not only prompts the Cooley community to become involved, he also makes us aware of the children in our city who may not have had the opportunity to partake in one of life’s simple pleasures – a baseball game. He motivates the employees and students to give from their hearts to sponsor children in our community for a Lugnuts game so they may experience a warm afternoon at Olds Stadium and taste a real ballpark frank. He works with the Student Bar Association and gives them the opportunity to get involved in efforts to raise money for this worthwhile campaign. Over the years, Tony has kept the Cooley family motivated, and together we have sent over 1000 local children to the game.

C.A.H.E.N. Award

Tony is very active with the Capital Area Higher Education Network (C.A.H.E.N.). C.A.H.E.N is a non-profit organization that acknowledges an outstanding adult learner from each member school who goes above and beyond the “norms” of what a “typical” college student might offer. Tony, as it turns out, is not only the Cooley Representative for this group, he is the President of the organization. Nominations for this award are sought from faculty and staff of the various member schools. Once the nominations have been submitted, the C.A.H.E.N. Selection Committee then decides upon a winner. Once the winner from each member school is announced, a reception for the award winners and their families is hosted by Cooley. This reception, because of the merits and accomplishments of the recipients, is referred to by Tony as a true “love fest” among the attendees.

Cooley Race for Education

Tony gives of his time and energy to support the Cooley Race for Education. His efforts toward the success of this program are tireless. Tony has been a part of the volunteer staff since the race’s inception, and now assists as a committee chair. He never has to be asked to help out – he’s just there and does what it takes to make the race fun for everyone involved.

Other Involvements

Some of Tony’s other involvements include: The Greater Lansing Boys and Girls Club (he has raised hundreds of dollars for this organization), Big Brothers/Big Sisters, the Cooley Tsunami Relief Fund, the Red Cross Empty Bowls campaign, Loaves and Fishes Homeless Shelter, and his church’s fundraising efforts.

On a personal note, Tony owns a home in Portland and has enjoyed living there for many years. Tony has an extremely large extended family that loves and appreciates him. They all are very proud of Tony and his many accomplishments.

"Tony has worked for The Thomas M. Cooley Law School for 25+ years. His loyalty and dedication to his job, most especially to the students, cannot be compared. Tony Alvarado is one of the kindest, most caring individuals I know. I am very proud to call him my friend."

-Jill Pullum

Joan Vestrand, Assistant Dean and Professor - Trinity Term 2007

Please join the Center for Ethics, Service, and Professionalism in congratulating this term’s Great Deeds Award winner, Assistant Dean and Professor Joan Vestrand.

Joan and Professor Martha Moore have developed an academic and personal success program in cooperation with Pontiac Northern High School in Oakland County.

This initiative began with a program on character, conduct, and personal success that Dean Vestrand presented to incoming 9th grade students in conjunction with the district’s new 9th grade academy. It developed into a "Success on Saturdays" program two Saturdays each month that is open to Pontiac Northern students and their parents. Cooley students from the Oakland BLSA chapter and the Oakland SBA are helping Dean Vestrand and Professor Moore with this program. The Saturday program focuses on personal success, including academic success, and also involves community service.

Pontiac Northern officials, along with the students and their parents, are thrilled about this program. Parents are attending the Saturday sessions with their children, and are as excited as their children, if not more so, about writing personal codes of conduct, making commitments about the education of their children, and making promises about their lifestyles.

Because of this very generous contribution of time and dedication to the young people of Pontiac, Joan was nominated by many of her colleagues for the Great Deeds Award. This award, which was the idea of Professor Judy Frank, hopes to recognize staff and faculty at Cooley who go above and beyond in the area of community service.

Jill Pullum - Hilary Term 2007

Jill Pullum is a Cooley community service treasure. Jill will be receiving her 25th anniversary recognition this year and has served this institution in many capacities including assistant to Dean LeDuc and secretary to many lucky professors.

But being a wonderful wife and mother and working full-time just isn’t enough to keep Jill satisfied. Jill has a laundry list of public service under her belt, and it is for that reason that she was promptly nominated for the Great Deeds award by both Dean Amy Timmer and Professor Judy Frank. Amy Timmer says that she nominated Jill because “Jill has a heart of gold.” Judy Frank echoed that sentiment and added that she couldn’t “think of anyone at Cooley more deserving of this award.” Kristin Taylor is happy to see Jill recognized for her service, and adds introducing her to her husband to Jill’s list of “Great Deeds.”

Over the years Jill has been active in the PTO at various Grand Ledge area schools. Aside from assisting with administrative duties, she has partnered with her beautiful daughter Bailey to become a fund-raising powerhouse. With the support of the Cooley community, Jill and Bailey have won top-seller gift certificates every year, which Bailey uses to buy holiday gifts for under-privileged children.

Jill is also a 4-H leader and volunteer. While this position requires a great deal of training and commitment, Jill enjoys teaching the students to cook, caroling to seniors as a group over the holidays, and helping organize the Eaton County Fair.

Jill also acts as a volunteer coordinator for her church’s concession stand at MSU Women’s Basketball events. Money raised is used to send children to summer camp and to support other worthwhile causes.

Cooley is fortunate to have this particular employee interacting with so many groups and individuals, as she has become quite an ambassador for the law school. Jill loves her job, and everyone who knows her inside and outside of work is aware of that. She is proud to share the news about Cooley with the many people ask. She also fosters good will within the building when she “adopts” students, inviting them into her home for dinner with her family.

Please join the Center for Ethics, Service, and Professionalism in congratulating Jill Pullum on being the first recipient of the Thomas M. Cooley Great Deeds Award, and in thanking her for her service and promotion of our school and its mission.

Heather Spielmaker
Assistant Director-Service and Professionalism Programs