Scholarship endowment honors retired OU leader who touched lives

Scholarship endowment honors retired OU leader who touched lives
RonKevern

More than 20 years have passed since Ron Kevern retired from Oakland University as assistant vice president of student affairs. He lives in Arizona now, but by all accounts, his ties to the university and Rochester area are strong as ever. Those ties are evident in the dozens of cards, letters, emails and phone calls he continues to receive from friends and colleagues who crossed his path throughout the 40-plus years he spent working for Oakland University and Rochester Community Schools.

RonandMarilynKevern

Ron Kevern is pictured with his wife, Marilyn.

 

Time and space clearly haven’t lessened his connection to the community he still thinks of as home. Now, funds are being raised for a new scholarship endowment that will make sure Kevern’s impact is felt for generations to come. The endowment will fund an annual scholarship to be awarded to an OU student who graduated from Rochester Community Schools.

 

Nancy Schmitz, assistant vice president for student affairs and dean of students, and Beth Talbert, special instructor of communication, are helping promote the endowment as it moves toward a $25,000 fundraising goal.

 

“Ron was such a great champion for both OU and Rochester,” said Schmitz, who worked with Kevern for 10 years until his retirement in 1993. “This endowment is the perfect way to recognize all of the wonderful contributions he made and all of the lives he touched over many years.”

 

Rooted in Rochester

 

Kevern’s life and career are deeply rooted in the Rochester community. He started his career teaching English and communication at junior high and high schools in the district and became the first principal of McGregor Elementary School, which opened in 1961.

 

He later served the district as director of personnel and labor relations, before coming to Oakland University in 1968 as assistant director of placement and alumni relations. In this role, and throughout his tenure at OU, he gained a reputation as a strong advocate for students and also was active in many civic organizations.

 

Kevern served four years on the Rochester Board of Education, including one year as president, and was also the vice president of the Rochester Community Foundation. In 1987, the Rochester Regional Chamber of Commerce named him its “Citizen of the Year.” He also chaired the Rochester YMCA, supported Oakland County’s Youth Assistance program and helped create an OU scholarship through the William T. Morris Foundation that generated more than a half-million dollars in scholarship awards for students.

 

NancySchmitzandBethTalbert

OU employees Nancy Schmitz, (left) and Beth Talbert are helping promote the Ron B. Kevern Scholarship Endowment as it moves toward a $25,000 fundraising goal. The pair worked closely with Kevern during his time at OU. 

‘Everyone needs a Ron Kevern’

  

For all those contributions, Kevern is perhaps best remembered for the kindness he showed to students and colleagues on a daily basis. Whether picking up an international student from the airport, hand-delivering an award letter to a scholarship recipient or driving a student to a job interview, Kevern understood the importance of reaching people with simple acts of caring.

 

“Ron really believed in students,” said Talbert. “He believed that every student could succeed and went out of his way to help students fulfill their potential as human beings.”

 

Kevern also reached out to colleagues, including Talbert, whom he hired as director of orientation in 1989. Talbert recalls how a simple phone call from Kevern helped give her confidence to tackle her first day on the job.

 

“He called me that morning and told me he believed in me and trusted me,” Talbert said. “He was very supportive, and that made a huge difference, especially early in my career. Everyone needs a Ron Kevern.”

 

A lasting legacy

 

For his part, Kevern says there’s nothing more gratifying than hearing from colleagues and students he met during his career.

 

“I have a lot of pride in OU,” Kevern said. “It’s a special place with wonderful people. I love keeping in touch and hearing all the great things that are happening.”

 

He celebrated his 80th birthday two years ago with a special dinner at Meadow Brook Hall and looks forward to seeing the impact of the endowment.

 

“I’m so honored that people thought of me for this endowment. It’s the kind of thing that usually only happens when someone dies,” Kevern said. “I’m still around and very excited to see it benefit students.”

 

To contribute to the Ron B. Kevern Scholarship Endowment, visit the website, or contact Luke Fleer, OU’s regional director of development, at (248) 370-4313 or fleer@oakland.edu.