Stephen Ward, Arthur F. Thurnau Professor; associate professor of Afroamerican and African studies, and director of Semester in Detroit program is one of 35 faculty members who received awards in recognition of their notable contributions in the areas of teaching, mentoring, service and scholarship. They were honored at a celebration on Oct. 30.
Ward received the Regents’ Award for Distinguished Public Service. This award honors people who have made contributions to public service activities that relate closely to teaching and research and reflect professional and academic expertise. The service activities may occur outside the university in local, state, national or international arenas.
Ward is a distinguished scholar, teacher and community leader whose commitment to public service has shaped U-M and Detroit for more than two decades. An authority on Black radical history, urban transformation and social justice, Ward has devoted his career to bridging university and community, cultivating spaces of inclusion, understanding and engaged learning.
Since joining U-M in 2002, he has served as faculty director of Semester in Detroit, associate director of the Residential College, and associate chair of Afroamerican and African Studies. Through Semester in Detroit, Ward has mentored countless students as they partner with Detroit organizations, demonstrating that academic and community rigor are inseparable.
His scholarship and activism have elevated the legacy of James and Grace Lee Boggs, including leadership in digitizing the Boggs Center archives.
Ward’s public service is further evident in his roles with key university initiatives, as well as in everyday advocacy for students, staff and colleagues from all backgrounds. Colleagues describe him as a model of empathy, clarity and principled leadership in even the most challenging circumstances.
Stephen Ward is an Arthur F. Thurnau Professor; associate professor of Afroamerican and African studies, director academic program, Semester in Detroit Program in the Residential College, associate professor in the Residential College, and associate director of faculty, LSA
