Spark

This spring, the Calvin Alumni Association remembered the late Henry William “Bill” Dungey ’87 with the Outstanding Service Award.

The service award is given annually to an individual or group who has supported Calvin College in significant ways for a sustained period of time. 

Dungey was honored for his sustained and significant encouragement of Entrada scholars, including an annual family scholarship to an Entrada graduate. Entrada is Calvin’s summer pre-college experience for high school students of color. Many Entrada students decide to attend Calvin after participation in the on-campus living-learning program. The award was presented posthumously and accepted by Bill's widow, Shereice, since Bill died suddenly of a heart attack in March.

The Dungeys established an annual family scholarship, the Henry and Juanita Dungey Entrada Victory Scholarship—named for Bill’s parents. Bill’s advocacy for educational opportunity was bold and always evident. He did not just provide the funding for the Entrada scholarship, but also encouraged, mentored and served as a role model for nine years of Entrada graduates.

Last July, he congratulated the ninth recipient, Isaac Vela, in an emotional address at the annual Entrada graduation ceremony. 

Bill’s desire for academic success was mirrored in his own educational journey. He started at Calvin in the mid ‘80s but said he “wasn’t expecting some of the things that came [his] way that knocked [him] off [his] game plan.” He returned to Calvin 11 years later, through the college’s adult degree completion program, and finished his bachelor’s degree. Bill didn’t stop there. He went on to earn his master’s degree in public policy at Grand Valley State University and had a distinguished career at Uniserv, a division of the Michigan Education Association.  

As for the scholarship, Bill said, “My parents invested a lot in me, and it was important to me to show them how that affected me. If we can make a minor contribution that might be helpful to one of these students, that’s truly a great investment.” 

Presenting the award for the alumni association, board member Gihane Jeremie-Brink ’05 recalled the impact Entrada had on her as a participant.

Nine years of scholarship recipients—and hundreds of Entrada Scholars continue as a legacy to Bill’s personal story, professional success and generous spirit.