Tuesday, September 8, 2020
Colleagues,
I am pleased to inform you that Governor Gretchen Whitmer has appointed two community leaders and Oakland University alumni to serve eight-year terms on the Oakland University Board of Trustees. Their terms became effective today, Tuesday, September 8.
Our Chair of the Board of Trustees, Tonya Allen, shared this thought.
"I want to congratulate Trina and Joe on their appointments and share that I look forward to working with them to strengthen Oakland University's already highly respected reputation," she said.
"Both have tremendous talent and professional experience, as well as deep dedication to Oakland, and I have no doubt they will provide the Board of Trustees invaluable perspective and guidance."
Trina Scott, chief diversity officer for Quicken Loans, implemented the company’s diversity and inclusion strategy for 33,000 team members, spanning across eight business sectors for nearly 100 companies in four U.S. cities. Prior to this, she served as an assistant director with Ernst & Young managing diversity, inclusion and corporate responsibility programs.
Scott has served as a board member for Detroit Police Athletic League and the Oakland University Alumni Association Board of Directors, and currently serves as a board member for the Midnight Golf Program. She holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from Oakland University, where she also played on the women’s basketball team.
Joseph Jones has served as president and CEO of the Grand Rapids Urban League since 2011 and is also a Grand Rapids City Commissioner. He previously served as president and CEO of E.E. Milestone & Associates, managing partner at Strategic Communications Group, LLC., and public relations and marketing manager for Construction Trades Subcontracting, Inc.
An ordained minister and co-chair of the Urban Core Collective, Jones currently serves on the boards of Mercantile Bank of Michigan, Experience Grand Rapids, Economic Club of Grand Rapids, Spectrum Health Hospital Group, and many others. Jones earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from Oakland University and a master’s degree in ministry leadership from Cornerstone University.
Trina and Joseph are replacing outgoing trustees Richard L. Devore and Marianne Fey, whose terms on the Board of Trustees expired on August 11, 2020. We are, of course, tremendously grateful for their leadership and many contributions.
I hope you will join me in welcoming Trina and Joseph to the university community as we continue to promote Oakland’s institutional progress and increasing prominence both here in Michigan and across the nation.
