Cooper Bright wins inaugural MIAA Academic Elite Award

ALBION — Alpena student Cooper Bright was one of six Albion student-athletes to earn an inaugural Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) Academic Elite Award for the 2024-25 academic year. Bright was a member of Albion’s 2024-25 men’s indoor track and field and men’s outdoor track and field teams and had a cumulative GPA of 4.0 at the end of the year.

Established by the MIAA Faculty Athletic Representatives, the Academic Elite Award will be presented annually to the student-athlete with the highest grade-point average among all MIAA competitors in their sport. Honorees must have at least two years of varsity participation and hold junior or senior academic standing. In the case of identical GPAs, multiple student-athletes may be honored in the same sport.

Bright is majoring in psychology with a minor in educational studies. Bright is the child of William and Cindy Bright of Alpena and is a graduate of Alpena High School.

Bright was also named to the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) 2024-25 Academic Honor Roll. The MIAA Academic Honor Roll recognizes student-athletes who maintain a 3.5 grade-point average for the academic year and earn a varsity letter in an MIAA-sponsored sport.

SVSU names Deans’ List, President’s List for winter 2025 semester

UNIVERSITY CENTER — More than 1,800 students from Saginaw Valley State University earned a spot on the winter 2025 semester Deans’ List.

To be eligible for the Deans’ List, a student must take at least 12 credit hours and carry a semester GPA of 3.4 or better.

Local students earning Deans’ List honors include: Carmen Dellar of Alpena, Abbey Laporte of Atlanta, Sean Henigan of Hillman, Samantha Coleman of Hubbard Lake, Kendall Bailey of Lewiston, and Abigail Schellie of Posen.

Nearly 700 students from Saginaw Valley State University were recognized for their determination and commitment to academic excellence by being named to the winter 2025 semester President’s List.

To be eligible for the President’s List, a student must take at least 12 credit hours and earn a 4.0 grade-point average.

Among the students named to the President’s List were: Kadyn Budnick of Alpena, Trenton Taratuta of Hillman, and Lela McKinstry of Rogers City

Owen Smith begins journey at Kettering University Convocation

FLINT — Kettering University welcomed Owen Smith, of Lewiston, to campus on July 10 as one of 121 A-Section students launching their journey into a rigorous STEM education that blends academic excellence with real-world impact.

Held in the Connie and Jim John Recreation Center, the Summer Convocation ceremony marked the official start of the Kettering experience. While many students hail from Michigan, the incoming class represents 20 states and 17 nations. Nearly half of the new students have declared Mechanical Engineering as their intended major, with Electrical Engineering and Computer Science rounding out the top three.