Meet the Activists

 

  • Bob Smith graduated from Eastern in 1971 with a double major in history and graphic arts. Smith went on to serve the communities of Detroit and Highland Park in roles at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, Wayne State University, and the Highland Park School District.

  • Floyd Walton graduated from Eastern in 1973 with a degree in history. While at Eastern, Walton worked closely with administrators to implement student demands. Walton went on to teach history in the Inkster Public Schools from 1974 to 2000 and at Dearborn Heights Robichaud High School from 2000 to 2010.

  • Jocelyn Harris forged a successful career in education after her time at Eastern, focusing on those who are disenfranchised. Harris worked for Michigan State University and the Michigan Department of Corrections and today continues to work for the advancement of the Detroit community.

  • Harold Braggs was a member of the Black Student Association at Eastern. After graduating from the University in 1978, Braggs worked in the energy field. Braggs went on to create an arts advocacy group in Detroit called The Detroit Fine Arts Breakfast Club.

  • John Sanford was a leading member of the Campus Service Corps during his time at Eastern. Sanford went on to have a successful career in law and is currently the director of the Office of Recipient Rights for the State of Michigan.

  • Ken Moon was associate dean of students during this time of activism. Moon served students on campus through counseling and funding. Moon went on to have a lengthy career in higher education administration.

  • Kurt Hill graduated from Eastern in 1972 with a degree in sociology and social work. Hill helped establish the Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X Scholarship at the University and went on to a long career in higher education administration. Judy Sturgis-Hill was highly involved as a student, especially in the Campus Service Corps and the University forensics team, and returned to the University in 1994 as an assistant professor of communication. She has served as a faculty adviser for many student organizations, and worked with Campus Life as the director of diversity programs.

  • Roberta Williams graduated from Eastern with a degree in psychology and sociology. She went on to get her master’s degree in agriculture from the Tuskegee Institute. Williams was a founding member of the Gilbert Agriculture and Rural Development Center, a vocational training center for disadvantaged youth. Dr. Patricia Davidson went on to get her master’s degree in chemistry and an MD after attending Eastern Michigan. Dr. Davidson taught at Howard University and the University of Maryland and continues to have a substantial private practice in cardiology.

  • Steve Spencer graduated in 1975 with a degree in speech and education and was an active member of the Black Student Association during his time on campus. After attending Valparaiso Law School, Spencer worked for U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for 38 years.

  • Dr. Mable Jones came to Eastern as an Upward Bound student and received her degree in special education in 1972. Among her many accomplishments, Jones became the chief executive officer of Upward Bound at Wayne State University and since retiring continues to serve the greater Detroit area in the field of child development.

  • Eric Lewis attended Eastern from 1970 to 1973. Lewis was involved with writing for “The Eastern Ebony,” a newspaper created by the Black Student Association. Lewis went on to get his degree in human resources and retire from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.

  • Chuck Coleman attended the University from 1968 to 1972 and went on to serve Southeast Michigan as a rights of way facilitator with DTE Energy for 30 years. Coleman is now a member of the Inkster Commission on Aging and the Van Buren Township Parks and Recreation Commission.

  • Marshall Jennings was an active member of the Campus Service Corps, graduated from the University with a degree in psychology in 1972, and worked for two years as a counselor and recruiter for Eastern before going on to a long, successful career in higher education administration.