The University of Michigan-Flint was nominated for the Nonprofit Impact Award at the 12th annual Art of Achievement Awards. The event took place on Nov. 4 at 6 p.m. The university sponsored the Young Professional Leader Award, which recognized UM-Flint alumni.
The Art of Achievement Awards ceremony combined the Flint & Genesee Chamber’s Business and Athena Awards with the Explore Flint & Genesee Hospitality Awards. The ceremony was hosted by Matt Barbour, a news anchor with ABC12, and included 18 Awards, including the new Veteran-Owned Business Award.
Andrew Younger, Executive Director of the Flint & Genesee Chamber, said that the awards help to recognize those in the community who might go unnoticed.
“Up until the Art of Achievement Awards, there had not been one specific ceremony to recognize both business leaders and hospitality organizations that exist in our community and are doing outstanding things,” Younger said. “About 12 years ago we decided to combine several smaller ceremonies into a larger event… it really added significance and the kind of importance that is fitting for the types of people that are doing incredible things in our community.”
Younger also said that the event helps to give Flint a platform in the greater Genesee area and acknowledge the work of members of the Flint community.
“By having these events, we are able to give that recognition and set that standard as a community,” Younger said. “It’s easy to downplay or dismiss the kinds of things that we do here, and so we need to take that time and recognize ourselves and each other,” Younger said.
The nomination process can include self-nominations. The only requirements for the awards are that the nominees must be individuals or businesses operating in Genesee County. The awards committee then decides based on the quality of the submission, not the number of submissions received.
In a press release, Tim Herman, CEO of the Flint & Genesee Group, said that the awareness of people and companies making an impact in Flint remains as important as ever.
“Every day, individuals and organizations across Flint & Genesee are making meaningful contributions that make our community a great place to live, work, and visit,” Herman said. “The Art of Achievement Awards give us an opportunity to celebrate those efforts and recognize the people and businesses helping move our region forward.”
The University sent in a nomination in recognition of its 70th anniversary in Flint, Shari Shrader, vice chancellor for University Advancement at UM-Flint, said. Community leaders, including C.S. Mott, helped bring the University of Michigan to Flint in 1956.
While the university did not win the award, Shrader said that the university remains committed to the same community impact that got it nominated.
“I think that the honor belongs to the students that serve and the faculty that teach, and that bring their expertise to certain challenges. We want to be a community-engaged campus, and our community partners help shape the work that we do,” Shrader said.
Maxwell Loxton is a writer for the Michigan Times he can be reached at mloxton@umich.edu.
