Kyra Harris Bolden made history on January 1, 2023, when she became the first Black woman to serve as a justice on the Michigan Supreme Court after being appointed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Bolden brings her strong work ethic, deep respect for the law, and sense of community to Michigan’s highest court. 

Bolden earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Grand Valley in 2010 and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. After becoming a member of the State Bar, Bolden practiced as a criminal defense attorney. She then served as a Judicial Law Clerk in Wayne County’s Third Circuit Court under the Honorable John A. Murphy. She practiced as a civil litigation attorney with Lewis & Munday PC before joining the Michigan Legislature in 2019.

Bolden served two terms as a state representative for the 35th District, which includes her hometown of Southfield. Bolden advocated for Michiganders as a member of the Judiciary Committee and focused her work on criminal justice reform and bipartisan legislation to protect survivors of sexual violence.

“It’s always been really important for me to build relationships ... even if you have a difference of opinion or a difference of process. That was my goal going in was to have conversations, get to know people and then figure out what things we could work on together.”

Kyra Harris Bolden, ’10

An active member of her community, Bolden serves as a member of the Oakland County Bar Association, Wolverine Bar Association, Straker Bar Association, the Women Lawyers Association of Michigan, National Congress of Black Women-Oakland County, and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. 

Bolden also continues to give back to the GVSU community. She volunteers as a GVSU Southeast Michigan Ambassador and, in 2023, she gave the keynote address for the 20th anniversary of EqualiTEA, a signature event for the GVSU Center for Women and Gender Equity.

Bolden lives in Farmington Hills with her husband, Dr. Greg Bolden, and their daughter.

Victor Cardenas’ life has been characterized by service to the public and Grand Valley. Cardenas graduated from GVSU in 2000 with a bachelor's degree in political science. He earned a master’s degree of public affairs from Indiana University and executive education certificates from the University of Virginia and Harvard University.

Since 2010, Cardenas has worked for the city of Novi. In 2023, he was selected as the city manager after serving as the assistant city manager for more than 12 years. Cardenas implemented a citizen relationship software that improved Novi’s receipt of service requests and workflow management. Previously, Cardenas worked for the cities of Indianapolis, Indiana, and Oak Park and Brooklyn, Michigan.

In 2007, Cardenas began serving on the GVSU Alumni Board of Directors. He continued in that role until 2015, when he was appointed to Grand Valley’s Board of Trustees by Gov. Rick Snyder. During his tenure on the board, Cardenas and his fellow board members hired Grand Valley’s fifth president, Philomena V. Mantella. He also served as chair of the finance and academic/student affairs committees.

Cardenas is actively involved in professional organizations that support city managers, locally and globally. He served on the Michigan Municipal Executives board. In 2020, he was elected to the board of directors of the International City/County Managers Association. He also sits on boards for the Intelligent Transportation Society of Michigan and the Michigan Library Network.

Victor and his wife, Kathryn, live in Novi with their children, Lewis, Reina and Emerson.

Quincy Williams is dedicated to enriching students‘ education through experiential learning opportunities. Whether it is through internship opportunities in the fields of public, nonprofit and health administration, alternative break programs or actively engaging with employers across West Michigan, Williams provides countless opportunities to promote the development of students’ personal and academic skills in real-world environments. 

Williams has worked at Grand Valley since 2006. He serves as the undergraduate program director and internship coordinator for the School of Public, Nonprofit and Health Administration. Williams is an advocate for the importance of partnerships among students, faculty and the community through applied learning. 

A former student shared: “Quincy made connections with us beyond the major. He helped many students, like myself, find the heart behind the work we wanted to do. He remains someone that I circle back to for wisdom and counsel on life decisions and career moves.”

Since 2010, Williams has led a GVSU student organization, Students Leaving a Mark (SLAM),  focused on learning about diverse cultures and impacting local communities through service work during spring and summer breaks.

Before coming to GVSU, Williams served as the national director of internships and placement programs for the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance Inc. During his time with the alliance, Williams partnered with over 110 colleges and universities to collaborate on their internship and experiential learning initiatives. He also designed and implemented Nonprofit Leadership Alliance national internship, scholarship and career placement programs.

Williams earned a bachelor’s degree in human service agency management and recreation administration from Missouri Valley College. He received a master’s degree in human service agency management from Lindenwood University.

Williams has been recognized for his contributions, receiving Grand Valley's AP Service to Community Award, Student Life Outstanding Faculty Member Award and the Career Services Internship Advocate of the Year Award. In 2024, he received the Outstanding Alumni Award from Missouri Valley College.

“Grand Valley does a really good job not just training you to be a good provider, but also making you a much more well-rounded person.”

Alex Hogarth, ’17 & ’20

During his time as a student, Hogarth said GVSU instilled in him a love for lifelong learning and a commitment to excellence. He served as a tutor for his peers and as a Richard Paul Clodfelder Student Society board member, the official organization for PAS students. He was also involved in several other student organizations, including the Pre-PA and Philosophy clubs. Hogarth said his professors and mentors modeled the values of integrity, innovation and service that have guided his career trajectory.

Hogarth has been named a three-time MVP by Munson Medical Center ICU Healthcare Team for exemplifying values including respect, teamwork, compassion and stewardship. Hogarth’s contributions extend beyond the clinical setting, impacting the lives of students and alumni while fostering a culture of growth and learning within the GVSU community.