Honoring Exceptional Volunteer Leadership with the University of Michigan

ANN ARBOR, Mich., Nov. 12, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The University of Michigan (U-M) has honored 37 individuals with The David B. Hermelin Volunteer Fundraising Award since the award's inception in 2004. On Nov. 9, U-M recognized three new honorees: Ari Spar (AB '89), Charles Woodson ('97), and Roger Zatkoff (ABED '64).

The award was created to honor the late David Hermelin (BBA '58, HHLD '00), a Detroit-area entrepreneur, philanthropist and former U.S. ambassador to Norway, who was a dedicated friend of the University. Hermelin graduated from U-M's Stephen M. Ross School of Business in 1958 and received an honorary degree in 2000.

This year's recipients exemplify Hermelin's dedication and volunteer their time and resources to better the Michigan community.

Ari Spar's giving across campus demonstrates his commitment to transforming lives, but also his devotion to family. At the Ross School he endowed the Rabbi Elliott T. Spar Scholarship Fund, honoring his father. He created the Sondra Lee Spar Endowed Scholarship Fund at the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, to honor his mother. And to honor his brother, he established the Elon D. Spar Innovation Partnership Research Fund in the Life Sciences Institute to accelerate discoveries in detecting and treating cancer. Spar has also supported facilities and learning opportunities in the Department of Athletics.

In 1995, Charles Woodson began his Michigan football career. After 15 seasons in the National Football League he remains a Michigan man, hosting an annual fundraising event for U-M's C.S. Mott Children's Hospital with teammates Brian Griese (AB '97) and Steve Hutchinson (BGS '05). To support scientific inquiry into life-threatening pediatric illnesses, he endowed the Charles Woodson Clinical Research Fund. He created the Charles C. Woodson Scholarship, in the School of Kinesiology, and the Georgia A. Woodson Scholarship Fund in the Office of Financial Aid, honoring his mother.

A football scholarship brought Roger Zatkoff to the U-M in 1949. He became a Green Bay Packer and Detroit Lion before completing his U-M degree. For more than three decades,  Zatkoff has helped to build the U-M Club of Greater Detroit, which provides more than $70,000 in scholarships to nearly 20 students each year.

Zatkoff and his wife, Elaine, established the Roger and Elaine Zatkoff Endowed Scholarship Fund to provide need-based support for a School of Kinesiology undergraduate assisting the women's lacrosse team. He created the Zatkoff Family Endowed Scholarship Fund for Women's Volleyball, providing financial assistance for a student athlete through the Department of Athletics. Recently, he established the Gary and Ann Moeller Scholarship Fund to provide support for Detroit-area undergraduates.

For more information contact Judith Malcolm, 734.647.7583 or [email protected]

SOURCE University of Michigan