WASHINGTON, DC — President Obama recently announced Michael Blake, Deputy Associate Director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs.
Michael Blake was featured in our Best, Brightest and Most Beautiful column in 2007. He was the Iowa Deputy Political Director, Obama for America presidential campaign. Before departing for Des Moines, Iowa, he was the Director of External Affairs for the Michigan House of Representatives following a successful tenure as a Community Organizer for the Michigan House Democratic Caucus. He concluded the campaign in Michigan as the state’s Deputy Director and Political Director.
He is also an alumnus of the Yes We Can political training program in Washington, D.C. He started his political career as an assistant for Illinois State Senator Jeff Schoenberg.
Michael was heavily engaged in the Lansing community. Through his membership within the Kappa Delta Lambda alumni chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., he chaired the Inaugural Michigan Alpha Day at the Capitol and co-chaired the Centennial Founder’s Day weekend.
At Trinity A.M.E. church, he served on the Five-Star visionary planning team, was an Associate Steward and sang in the worship choir.
Michael is a native of New York City. He received a B.S. in Journalism from Northwestern University.
Jodi Archambault Gillette and Nicholas Rathod were also named to the Intergovernmental Affairs Staff.
President Obama said, “These individuals bring diverse experiences and a deep passion for public service to my administration. As we work to serve the American people and make this White House as open and transparent as possible, it’s essential that we hear from citizens in all our communities. I am confident that Jodi, Michael and Nick will be valuable members of our team.”
MSU engineer elected to National Academy of Engineering
EAST LANSING, MI — Percy Pierre, vice president for research and graduate studies and professor of electrical and computer engineering emeritus at Michigan State University, has been elected to the National Academy of Engineering. Election to the academy is among the highest professional distinctions accorded to an engineer.
Pierre is among 65 new members and nine foreign associates honored for outstanding contributions to engineering research, practice or education. He also is being recognized for his past service as assistant secretary of the U.S. Army for research, development and acquisition, contributions to engineering education and leadership in creating the national minority engineering effort.
“We are very pleased to see Percy Pierre honored for his pioneering work in engineering education, specifically with underrepresented groups,” said MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon. “This well-deserved honor brings distinction not only to Dr. Pierre, but to the College of Engineering and Michigan State University.”
In addition to this honor, Pierre also will receive the 2008 Mentor Award for Lifetime Achievement this week from the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the world’s largest general scientific society and publisher of the journal Science, during its annual meeting in Chicago.
Pierre served as vice president for research and graduate studies at MSU from 1990 to 1995 and professor of electrical and computer engineering from 1995 to 2005.
In 1998, he started the Sloan Engineering Program in MSU’s College of Engineering, a program that supports recruitment and retention of minority doctoral students. He has counseled and helped support more than 30 minority students pursuing doctoral degrees.
“For those of us who have known Percy, this award is not surprising,” said Satish Udpa, dean of MSU’s College of Engineering. “He has been at the forefront in initiating and launching innovative programs for improving access to higher education for students from underrepresented groups for a long time.”
Since the early 1970s, Pierre has created many programs across the country, including Howard University’s first doctoral programs in electrical and mechanical engineering, the National Action Council on Minorities in Engineering, and the National Consortium for Graduate Degrees for Minorities in Engineering and Science Inc.
Pierre is recognized as the first African-American to earn a doctorate in electrical engineering. After receiving his doctoral degree from Johns Hopkins University in 1967, he held many administrative posts in government and higher education.
He served as a White House Fellow in the Executive Office of the President from 1969 to 1970; dean of the College of Engineering at Howard University in Washington, D.C., from 1971 to 1977; assistant secretary of the Army for research, development and acquisition from 1977 to 1981; and as president of Prairie View A&M University from 1983 to 1989.
In 1981, he was presented with the U.S. Army’s Distinguished Service Award, the highest honor presented to a civilian.
Earlier this year, Pierre received the Rev. John J. Cavanaugh, Congregation Sacred Cross Award from his alma mater, the University of Notre Dame, for his exemplary model of character and his outstanding contributions in the field of public service. The award is conferred on an alumnus/alumna (living or deceased) for outstanding service in the field of government, patriotism, public service, or local, state and national politics.
The National Academy of Engineering is an independent, nonprofit institution. Founded in 1964, it operates under the congressional act of incorporation that established the National Academy of Sciences, which was signed in 1863 by President Lincoln. The group provides leadership and guidance to government on the application of engineering resources to social, economic and security problems.
Academy members are the nation’s premier engineers, elected by their peers for seminal contributions to engineering. Total U.S. membership is now 2,246 and the number of foreign associates is 197.
For more information about the academy, visit http://www.nae.edu/nae/naehome.nsf.
To learn more about Pierre’s work, go to http://www.egr.msu.edu/~pierre/.
Kelvin W. Scott Named Director of Michigan Department of Civil Rights
LANSING, MI – The Michigan Civil Rights Commission (MCRC) has appointed its former chair, Kelvin W. Scott, as director of the Michigan Department of Civil Rights (MDCR).
“With the appointment of Kelvin Scott, Michigan will continue to have a strong civil rights advocate,” Granholm said. “Kelvin is a
skilled leader with a diverse background and a strong work ethic. I look forward to working with him as part of my Cabinet.”
Governor Granholm appointed Scott to the MCRC in 2004. He has served as chairman of the commission for the past two years. Scott
previously served as vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary for Plastech Engineered Products, Inc. He also formerly worked as associate corporate counsel for Masco Corporation, a litigator with the firm of Kienbaum Opperwall Hardy and Pelton, an assistant United States attorney with the U.S. Attorneys office for the Eastern District of Michigan, and an associate attorney and partner with the law firm of Dickinson Wright. He received a juris doctorate degree from Georgetown University Law Center in 1987 and a B.A. from Michigan State University in 1984.
“Scott’s diverse background in corporate, civil and criminal law as well as his volunteer work on behalf of the disadvantaged demonstrates a consistent commitment to the ideas and practices of diversity, equal opportunity, and protecting those who may be unable to protect themselves,” said Matt Wesaw, acting commission chair.
“Having worked on the commission for the past five years, he has gained an intimate knowledge of the Department of Civil Rights, and in these critical times, a balanced source of experience will be critical to fulfilling the mission of the Department of Civil Rights and allow Mr. Scott to hit the ground running.”
Scott is a past president of the Wolverine Bar Association, one of the largest organizations of African American attorneys in the country, and former chairman of the board of the Eastside Emergency Center, a homeless shelter and transitional housing development for single mothers in Detroit. He served on the board of directors for the Barristers of the Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association and received its Distinguished Service Award. He is past president and former state representative of the Detroit chapter of the National Black Prosecutors Association.
Scott replaces Linda V. Parker who was appointed last month by Governor Granholm to the 3rd Circuit Court in Wayne County.
Ford to Announce Bid for Lansing Mayor
LANSING, MI –Lansing School Board member, Charles Ford, will formally announce he is a candidate to become Mayor during a rally and kickoff event on Monday, February 16, 2009.
The 54-year old Ford will make his announcement before friends, family and supporters at 12 noon, in the Letts Community Center, 1220 W. Kalamazoo Street.
During his remarks, Ford will talk about his experience; his vision for changing Lansing for the better; and about his lifelong commitment to the Capitol City.
Ford, elected to the School Board in 2007, is a former Lansing City Council Member; an attorney in private practice; a retired executive from the Michigan Department of Transportation; and, among a host of other honors…is a member of the Greater Lansing Sports Hall of Fame.
