Spotlights
Robert Monaghan
Robert Monaghan was a member of the Pioneer Class at Grand Valley.
He graduated with a BA in 1967, majoring in Political Science and
minoring in Sociology. He has been a tremendous donor to GVSU, was
one of the first presidents of the GVSU Alumni Association, and
also has given back by serving as a commencement speaker. He was
recognized by GVSU College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS)
through the 2007 CLAS Distinguished Alumni-in-Residence program.
I was a member of the Pioneer Class of what was then Grand Valley
State College where I became a member of the first class at GVSC in
the fall of 1963. My major was Political Science. I graduated in June
of 1967 and I believe that I was the first recipient of the Political
Science Department Award. I fondly remember Don Herman and Bill Baum
from whom I took most of my PS courses. I was also on the first rowing
crew in 1964 and was the first Head Resident Advisor of Copeland House
in 1966-67.
In my senior year when I began to apply to various grad schools, I
was shocked to find out that GVSC was considered to be an unaccredited
college. It turns out that the North Central Association would not
grant accreditation until after the first class had been graduated. I
began to receive rejection letters on that basis. At that time,
Professor Bill Baum also taught during the summer at the University of
Iowa. One day, I was complaining to him about the basis upon which I
was being rejected by graduate schools. His response to me was that
if I would consider the University of Iowa, he would make a few calls.
The result, thanks to him, was that I was accepted to the
International Relations program there.
Career wise, I spent 34 years in the corporate business world
holding mainly executive level Human Resource positions for GE,
Howmet, Ciba-Geigy, Siemens, Chris Craft Yachts and Howmet
Corporation. At Siemens (from 1996-2002), I led a team that was tasked
with centralizing all of the payroll and benefits administration for
all Siemens employees in the US (approximately 90,000). I took an
early retirement incentive package in 2002 and took a position as the
Executive Director of a nonprofit arts organization for the next 2+
years. I then became a licensed Realtor specializing in listing and
selling residential real estate in Texas and Florida
Since beginning my third retirement 1/1/2010, I have considered
myself to be a “professional volunteer.” In 2010-2011, I volunteered
at Southeastern Guide Dogs in Palmetto, FL, where my primary
responsibility was to greet the public and orient them to the mission
and guide dog training process. The most gratifying part was the day
when visually impaired clients would be introduced to their guide dog.
From 2012-current, I have volunteered for two organizations:
Victory Therapy Center and the Keller, Texas Police Department.
Victory Therapy Center delivers equine assisted therapy to mentally
and/or physically disabled children. I serve primarily as both a horse
leader and as a trainer for new volunteers. To see these kids light up
when they see and are placed on their horse is very fulfilling for me,
and I am very proud of the fact that I contributed more volunteer
hours (729) in 2013 than any other volunteer.
My volunteer job with the Keller Police Department is as a
Volunteer in Police Services which you are only allowed to do after
completing the Citizen’s Police Academy, a thirteen week course, and
then receiving advanced training in police patrol work. The mission is
primarily to put the police department in front of the public as much
as possible which includes me driving a police patrol vehicle in the
community. I contributed close to 300 hours in 2013. I also organized
the DFW GVSU Community Outreach Week projects in both 2013 and 2014.
Significant people that I will always remember from GVSU include Presidents James Zumberge and Don Lubbers, Professors Donald Herman and William Baum of the Political Science Department, Professor Charles Irwin, who was the original Athletic Director and Rowing Coach, and Professors Richard Flanders and Donald Hall.
I have repeatedly told anyone that would listen that I directly attribute my success in the business world to my undergraduate education at what is now GVSU. I have always attributed a great deal of my success in life to GVSU, and I have been a fervent supporter both financially and in other ways to GVSU as a form of payback. I’m proud to be a charter member of the Gillette Society. I’m also proud to have supported the fund drive for the Alumni House and for the Pew Library as well as specifically the GVSU Rowing Club. I’m also proud to have underwritten the cost of the plaques in the Alumni House honoring the members of the Pioneer Class and the original GVSC faculty. Such great memories!
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