Amanda Forrester / news@whmi.com

Cleary celebrated their largest graduation ceremony in Ypsilanti on Saturday.

358 graduates walked the stage at the George Gervan GameAbove Center at Eastern Michigan University. More than 2,000 family members and friends were in attendance, setting another record for the school.

“It is our honor to support you in your goals and dreams,” Cleary President Dr. Alan Drimmer said. “We are so happy to return today to our founding city of Ypsilanti where Cleary first opened in 1883.”

Cleary awarded the following honors to graduates:

- President’s Award: Mia Rzepka “for demonstrating overall excellence in teamwork, scholarship, communication and presentation skills and integration and application of coursework into the business world. Rzepka graduated with a BBA in Business Management and an MBA in Strategic Leadership. She was co-president of SALT (Student Athlete Leadership Team) and was a leader on and off the field for Cleary’s softball team for four years (she was named Second Team All-WHAC and All-Academic Team for WHAC). She maintained a heavy coursework load of 18 credits every semester and worked 32 hours a week at Delta Dental to ‘continue growing and developing my career skills while also paying for my college education,’ she said.”

- Graduate Leadership Award: Spencer Jamieson and Yolanda Stinson “for demonstrating superior leadership in teamwork scholarship and communication and presentation skills in graduate level coursework.

“In 2024, Spencer Jamieson graduated from Cleary with a bachelor’s degree in Sports Management and a minor in Project Management. During his four years as an undergraduate, he played for the baseball team and was a student worker in the athletic department. This year, he served as a graduate assistant for the athletic department while completing a master’s degree in Strategic Leadership. He already has a job lined up – he is the Director of Stadium Operations for the Royal Oak Leprechauns, one of 26 teams in the Northwoods League, considered a valuable training ground for players, coaches, umpires and front office staff. It is the largest organized summer collegiate baseball league in the world.

“Yolanda Stinson, a deputy chief chaplain for the Detroit Police Department, began working for the department as a support specialist with the homicide unit, helping countless families grieving the loss of a loved one through violence. She is a licensed minister and mento, trainer and planner for vigils and memorials for the families of homicide victims. Stinson earned her bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from Cleary in Leadership.”

- Anne McKenny University Service Award: Grace Pasterik “is the first recipient of this honor, awarded for her dedication, leadership, commitment to community, volunteerism, integrity, stewardship, selflessness and passion for service. She graduated from Cleary with a dual major – Healthcare Management and Digital Marketing. She was a DECA honor cord recipient and was named to the softball All-Academic Team for WHAC and the NAIA Champion of Character Team for demonstrating the five core values of the NAIA – integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship and servant leadership. Pasterik was a student worker in the Cleary Admissions Office, and during the summer, she volunteered as an assistant softball coach for children at Turnin2 Sports, a nonprofit organization dedicated to building champions on and off the field through the core values of respect, responsibility and representation.

- Business Innovation Award: Edward Fox: “for initiating or creating an improvement to a business process or product within an existing company, organization or nonprofit institution. He integrated a food industry process and solved a problem with creativity and innovation.”

- Entrepreneurship Award: Evert Redman: “for creating or planning a new product or process or business venture, or one within an existing company, organization or nonprofit institution. The Early College Program graduate from Fowlerville started his own custom rug business at the age of 17. TheTuftedTreasury exploded within a few months, and he now sells his handmade tufted rugs internationally.”

- DECA Stole: Ambre Canado, Cristina De Miguel Arandiga, Jacob Haley, Carson MacMillan, Emma Nobels, Sarah Wessels and Morgan Whitcomb.

- DECA Honor Cord: Grace Pasterick and Wayne Taiman.

An honorary doctorate degree was given to Derek Ware “for demonstrating outstanding achievements in his profession; enriching the world with his knowledge, mentorship abilities and exemplary contributions; living the attributes of The Cleary Mind; and inspiring graduates, students, families and the entire community to aspire to excellence. Ware serves as President and CEO of Detroit Community Health Connection, a health care center that provides easily accessible, affordable and quality medical, dental and behavioral health services to the community. He earned his BBA in Business Leadership from Cleary and one year later, he completed a dual master’s degree in Healthcare Leadership and Leadership.”

President of DTE Energy Foundation Rodney Cole was the keynote speaker for the ceremony.

“Today, we celebrate you and the next phase of your life,” Rodney said. “If you don’t remember anything else from today, remember these four words: time is a gift. You are making the best decisions you can with the time you have. Don’t forget to find time to appreciate the beauty of your journey through life, investment and dedicate time to improve your life, find your purpose and enjoy the journey.”