Retired employee to speak

U-M-Flint has chosen Lillian Henry, a retired employee who has won numerous awards and is well-known for her support of students, to speak at its commencement ceremonies Dec. 19.

Henry (Photo courtesy U-M-Flint)

Henry is widely known for her love of cooking. Her recipe for life includes generous amounts of dedication, hard work and a constant striving for excellence. Henry retired in June after serving for almost seven years as senior executive secretary to the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS).

In that role, Henry was a considered a trail-blazer; she was the first African American to hold an executive secretary position, not only for CAS, but also for a variety of corporate offices in Flint and southeast Michigan prior to coming to U-M-Flint.

Henry is the recipient of many awards and has received recognition from several organizations. She was the first African American to be selected for the U-M-Flint Dorothea Wyatt Award, the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Flint Alumnae Chapter Clinton B. Jones Award for dedication and support of students, and was one of the 2002 U-M-Flint Staff Award honorees for outstanding university service.

Henry's most cherished recognition isn't a plaque, but rather the thanks she received from students who often called her "mom." She always took the time to find a way to help a student in need, colleagues say.

"Lillian Henry was the heart of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Michigan-Flint. She found housing for new faculty, jobs for faculty spouses and partners, cooked and baked for all of us, welcomed us to Flint, and sincerely valued our presence here," says CAS Dean D. J. Trela.

"She took pride in being the first African-American senior executive secretary on the Flint campus, and all the rest of us—faculty, staff and deans—took pride and comfort in her concern, compassion and love for all of us who came into her orbit.

"While it may seem unusual to honor a secretary as a commencement speaker, in continually striving to be the best person and university citizen she could be, Lillian inspired us all to follow her example."

Retirement has given Henry more time for what she holds most important in her life: church, family, friends and helping young people to set goals.

The ceremony is at 2:30 p.m. at Perani's Arena.