Cheri Ackerman, a 2011 Calvin grad, has been awarded a 2012-2013 Hertz Fellowship. The fellowship, bestowed by the Hertz Foundation, supports gifted leaders in the applied sciences and engineering. It is awarded to 15 to 20 applicants out of 600.

See full story: http://www.calvin.edu/news/archive/2011-grad-wins-hertz-fellowship

"I can definitely see that it's not something I've necessarily earned," said Ackerman. "Yes, I worked hard for it. Yes, I researched. But I look at it as a gift from God."

The $250,000 Hertz Fellowship will pay Ackerman's Berkeley tuition for five years and provide her with a sizeable stipend. The idea behind the award is to free up young minds to innovate, said Ackerman: "You get to pick the projects you work on and to pursue ideas that might seem crazy."

Some 80 people showed up at the Kentwood branch on Saturday to hear 18 Michigan authors talk about the craft of writing and the challenges of publishing. Attendees said they were inspired by what was shared and the authors were thrilled to be able to share their knowledge.

There are 4 more solo appearances through mid-May scheduled for various KDL branches as part of our Celebrate the Mitten authors series. Come out and support Michigan authors!

Pictured below, from top to bottom:

News Release:

After the success of the 2011 Business Forum, the Cities of Wyoming and Kentwood will partner with the Wyoming-Kentwood Chamber of Commerce in presenting the second annual Business Forum on Friday, May 11, 2012 at the Kentwood Library from 8:00 am – 10:30 am. 

William Strauss  -  is the Senior Economist for the FED in Chicago  and will be addressing manufacturing's performance in Michigan and his take on its future, trends and challenges. One main theme is that manufacturing is not dead.

 Ed DiEnno – is the plant manager at the Wyoming General Motors Components Holdings facility and will be speaking on how to create a competitive company  versus low cost overseas manufacturers.