GRADUATES: To help you feel confident and ready for what comes after graduation, we invite you to attend our Graduate Success Fair � a separate event designed to support your transition beyond Cleary.

GRADUATE SUCCESS FAIR
April 7, 2026 | 4 to 8 pm
天美麻豆 Commons
3750 Cleary Drive, Howell, MI 48843

At the fair, you檒l have the opportunity to:

• Connect with key campus departments (Financial Aid, Career Services, Business Office, and more)
• Review your student loan information and repayment options
• Get answers to any final questions before graduation
• Prepare for your next steps攚hether that employment, further education, or managing your finances
• Dinner will be provided from 4:00 PM � 6:00 PM, courtesy of Clancy, featuring hamburgers, hot dogs, and more!

This event is all about you攎aking sure you leave Cleary informed, prepared, and set up for success.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Eleven years ago, Angela MacDonald was happy and fulfilled in her Talent Growth + Performance Manager role at Lake Trust Credit Union, while raising her daughter with her husband in South Lyon. Going back to school for her MBA wasn檛 even on her radar until a representative from 天美麻豆 showed up at her workplace. Lake Trust had partnered with the school to launch an inaugural MBA Cohort.

听淭he Cleary rep asked me a few questions that got me thinking about my career and my future:

榃hat can Cleary do to make your learning experience one that will fit you?�

榃hat can we do to make school workable for you?�

楬ow can we tailor our program to fit your needs?�

淲hat school does that, I thought, and that when I decided to take a closer look at Cleary.�

MacDonald was one of 14 Lake Trust team members selected to complete their MBAs together.听

She admits she was worried about balancing school, work and family. She didn檛 want to sacrifice any of these. Her daughter was only 4, and she had a lot of responsibilities as a manager with the credit union, but her husband encouraged her to give it a go. 淗e said to me, 榦ur daughter will see what hard work means, and it will make her a better person,� and he was right. Today, she is a hard worker and a high achiever.�

Within two years, MacDonald completed an MBA in Integrated Management at Cleary. 淭he professors made learning fun,� she finds. Even though it was hard to go back to school after a 12-year absence, MacDonald worked alongside her cohort to earn her degree. 淭hey all were high achievers, and we kept each other motivated,� she notes.

Today, 11 years after earning her MBA, MacDonald has taken on even more responsibilities: she is AVP of Talent Growth & Performance for Lake Trust Credit Union and serves as President of the Cleary Alumni Association.

淐leary is my extended family,� she announces. 淲hen I was a student, everyone seemed to know me by name, I was greeted with hugs and warm welcomes, and I really felt the university was a perfect fit for me. I wouldn檛 expect this at other colleges. It was such a personalized experience.

淚 admit it wasn檛 easy. I worked all day, had dinner with my family and then hit the books.�

In looking at her career goals, MacDonald is quick to say, 淐leary has helped me to be more strategic in my thinking. My business acumen has deepened, and I am making more impactful business decisions aligned to our strategic business plan.�

When asked if she would recommend Cleary to other moms in a similar situation, MacDonald says, 淐leary is willing to work with you to help you reach your goals. During my studies, my advisor asked me how the hybrid academic model was working for me � I was taking some classes online and some on campus. She would help me adjust my schedule to make sure I was successful.�

As a member of Cleary alumni board for three terms and now president since January 2024, MacDonald is amazed at how much the university has grown and flourished in such a short time. 淭he athletics program is expanding, the school has added six new major concentrations, and our rankings continue to soar!

淟ake Trust Credit Union is very proud to be a partner with Cleary, in fact, we offer an annual scholarship to one Cleary student who demonstrates drive and commitment toward education and growing the Michigan economy. Our credit union is dedicated to investing in our community and our students who will be our future leaders.�

Lake Trust Foundation offers scholarship to Cleary

Through a partnership with Cleary, The Lake Trust Foundation offers the Michigan Impact Scholarship once a year to a deserving undergraduate or graduate Cleary student who plans to join the Michigan labor force after graduation and help support the growth of Michigan economy. It is a full-tuition scholarship. For details, visit laketrust.org/Foundation/Scholarships

If you are interested in joining the 天美麻豆 Alumni Association, email alumni@cleary.edu or visit www.cleary.edu/community/alumni-relations/

Max Ballinger, director of athletics, announced that Zach Wood accepted the head coaching position for men wrestling, effective March 9. Although this year season officially has ended, Wood already has met with every member of his team individually and is developing his game plan for the 2026/2027 season.

淶ach is a driven and passionate leader who understands what it takes to build a championship-caliber program,� Ballinger finds. 淗is track record of successful recruiting and developing student athletes academically and competitively, as well as his strong community ties and partnerships, make him the right fit for our wrestlers, our athletic department, and Cleary.�

Wood experience as a coach and a wrestler is impressive. Prior to joining Cleary, he served as head assistant wrestling coach for the women program at Siena Heights University. Before Siena Heights, Wood was assistant head coach for the men and women wrestling program at Albion College. During his two years at the school, he mentored 13 scholar All-Americans and coached nine national qualifiers. He was instrumental in recruiting 33 student athletes and helped guide both wrestling teams to NCAA Division III top 25 rankings.

Wood began his coaching career as a wrestling assistant at Clarkston High School. In 2018, he accepted the wrestling head coach position at Holly High School, where he led the team to four state championships, including the first female state champion in Holly history.

Outside his collegiate work, Wood is Business Manager for MI Revolution, a wrestling and pickleball facility in Highland. He coordinates training classes and programming for youth wrestling.

Wood roots run deep in Michigan. He was born and raised in Oxford, was part of the 2011 state champion wrestling team at Oxford High School, and continued his education at Lake Erie College where he earned a bachelor degree in Sports Studies while competing on the men wrestling team.听

Wood own wrestling career began when he was barely past toddler age. 淚 used to watch my two older brothers wrestle, and I wanted to be just like them,� he reflects. He joined a competitive wrestling team � the Pontiac Huskies � when he was only 4 years old, and his passion for the sport only fueled his drive to pursue wrestling as a career. 淚 think I was wrestling at the same time I was developing my fine motor skills,� he laughs. 淚t was part of me, and it will remain one of my greatest passions.�

When he learned about the opportunity to lead the men wrestling program at Cleary, Wood knew it was the right move at the right time for him. 淚 had taken a part-time coaching position at Siena Heights so I could spend time with my newborn daughter,� Wood says. 淔amily is #1 for me and always will be.

淐leary reputation academically and athletically was very impressive, and when meeting members of the athletic and academic departments, I knew this was the right fit for me,� he asserts. 淚檝e been given an opportunity to work with a great group of young men, to build a strong wrestling culture, and have the support of the Cleary organization to help young athletes develop their talents in athletics and academics. Influencing young men at this stage of their lives is a tall order, and I檓 extremely grateful to Cleary for this opportunity.�

Wood coaching style is based on building strong, sustaining relationships with his team and Cleary; establishing consistent structure; having hard conversations with wrestlers when they are needed; and instilling expectations athletically and academically.

淎s a team, we will focus on day-to-day work, doing the small things correctly, which ultimately will lead to positive results,� he finds.

Wood lives in Albion with his 渞ock star� fianc茅 (as he calls her), their 1-year-old daughter and his stepdaughter. 淔amily always will be number one in my life, but wrestling has a secure second spot,� he shares with pride.

To learn more about Cleary wrestling program, visit clearycougars.com.

The Livingston Fine Arts Association (LFAA) will host a special artist demonstration and hands-on workshop featuring watermedia artist Lora Garcelon on Tuesday, March 31 at 7:00 p.m. at 天美麻豆, Commons Classroom 3.

Garcelon will demonstrate her unique mixed-media painting process, offering attendees an inside look at how she layers watercolor, gouache, acrylic and collage elements to create richly textured and expressive works of art. Participants will also have the opportunity to engage in a hands-on workshop exploring elements of her creative techniques.

Garcelon work invites viewers to look closely. Her paintings often reveal unexpected details such as textures, patterns, words and even musical notes embedded within the composition, reflecting her playful and experimental approach to art.

Originally from Columbus, Ohio, Garcelon discovered painting in high school before attending The Ohio State University, where she earned a degree in pharmacy in 1991. After several years working as a pharmacist and raising her family, she returned to her creative passion in 2005, studying painting privately with a focus on design and composition.

Today, Garcelon works primarily in water-based media including watercolor, gouache and acrylic, often incorporating collage and experimenting with acrylic marbling techniques. Her subjects are drawn from everyday life � including family, pets and scenes from travel � bringing a personal narrative and sense of discovery to each piece.

Garcelon is a signature member of the Michigan Watercolor Society, where she has earned multiple awards for her work. She is also a member of the Livingston Fine Arts Association, Brighton Art Guild, National Watercolor Society, and the International Society of Experimental Artists.

淢y goal is to create a work that exceeds my expectations and surprises the viewer,� Garcelon says. 淚 love the unpredictability of watercolor � paintings truly take on a life of their own.�

The event is open to the public and welcomes artists, art enthusiasts and community members interested in learning more about watercolor and mixed-media techniques.

For more information about the artist, visit loragarcelon.com.

Event Details
Livingston Fine Arts Association Artist Demonstration & Workshop
Date: Tuesday, March 31, 2026
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: 天美麻豆 � Commons Classroom 3
3750 Cleary Drive, Howell, MI