BENTON HARBOR — Lake Michigan College honored three alumni and two long-time community supporters with awards during an Honors Convocation that took place Monday, April 15 at The Mendel Center’s Grand Upton Hall on the Benton Harbor campus.

The Alumni Service Award was presented to Craig Stilwell, of Lansing. This award is given to alumni who have made important contributions, personally or professionally, to the community or Lake Michigan College.

The Alumni Achievement Award was presented to Lynne Christiano, of St. Joseph. This award is given to an alumnus who attended LMC within the past 15 years who has distinguished themselves in their career, education or community to serve as a role model to current LMC students.

The Bernard C. Radde Distinguished Service Award, meanwhile, was presented to both Danny Sledge and Judy Truesdell. Named in honor of the late Dr. Bernard C. Radde, who served as a member of the Lake Michigan College Board of Trustees for 25 years, this award is presented to an individual or individuals who have advanced the cause of Lake Michigan College and higher education.

The award was bestowed to Wilce L. Cooke, of Benton Harbor and accepted at the convocation on his behalf by his sister, Frances Koonce. Named in honor of the first president of Lake Michigan College, the award is given to alumni who have achieved significant success in their personal and professional endeavors.

Danny Sledge has spent a career helping students strive for success. The Benton Harbor native, who received his bachelor’s degree in music education in 1974 and master’s in counselor education/counseling psychology in 1977 from Western Michigan University, has worked in higher education administration for more than 35 years.

Sledge was the first director of Lake Michigan College’s Upward Bound program, which helps low-income, first-generation college-bound students. He also served as the dean of Student Development at both Lake Michigan College and Kalamazoo College. Sledge also served as director of the Division of Minority Affairs and acting dean of students at Western Michigan University, and recently retired as the Diversity and Inclusion program manager at Lakeland Health, a position he began May 2015.

In addition to serving as a Lake Michigan College administrator, Sledge has long served as the college’s diversity consultant, providing employee and student training. For the past 15 years, he has served as the emcee and a member of the planning committee for LMC’s annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration.

He co-founded LMC’s student speaker contest, which provides scholarships to at least two students annually, and has been active on various boards and organizations in his local community, the state, and national level.

The first meeting Judy Truesdell attended as a Lake Michigan College Board Trustee was at the groundbreaking of the Niles campus nearly 22 years ago.

It was the first of many notable milestones during her tenure from 1997-2018. Besides setting policy, Truesdell served as an integral part of the college’s expansion in Niles and South Haven and oversaw the addition of the Hanson Technology Center and Beckwith Hall to the Benton Harbor campus.

She assisted with three successful millage renewals, a historic capital millage campaign, and helped usher in LMC’s Early College program, which allows students to earn college credits while still in high school.

A native of Pontiac, Michigan, and resident of Niles, Truesdell is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University. She co-founded several businesses including, Tree Play, Inc., and Cupcaketree.com, as well as the Niles Education Foundation.

She still serves as a trustee of the Michigan Gateway Community Foundation, where she is chair of the Niles Fund, The Huizenga Foundation, and Lakeland Health Foundation.