Alumnus Joe Stevens donates $30,000 for leadership development

HFC alumnus Joe Stevens has donated $30,000 to the Henry Ford College Foundation to support the Joe Stevens Leadership Development Fellowship (JSLDF) Program.

“I’ve been fortunate in my life with my financial endeavors. This is an opportunity for my wife, Carol, and me to give back to the community. I believe students in some of these underserved areas aren’t getting an opportunity to complete their college education, often for financial reasons. I feel it’s important to help them out. This is an area that needs help and, fortunately, I’m in a position to do that,” explained Stevens, of Bloomfield Hills.

Launched in 2023, the JSLDF Program aims to enlighten, enrich, and support student education through experiences designed to enhance learning, broaden academic skills, and provide essential hands-on preparation for post-graduation studies. Three Detroit Promise students will be selected to become the first cohort to receive educational leadership, internship, and mentorship opportunities beyond those offered via the regular Detroit Promise program.

“Mr. Stevens’ generous donation reflects the power of giving and the profound impact individuals can make to further our mission and change lives in meaningful ways,” said HFC Vice President of Institutional Advancement A. Reginald Best, Jr.

JSLDF students can focus on academics and reduce interruptions in their studies

While many students spend their spring break on a beach, JSLDF students will spend their spring break at conferences, workshops, and seminars to improve their academic and professional standing. The customized activities are designed to develop leadership skills and a solid competitive edge.

Detroit Promise coaches will work with each JSLDF student to identify professional goals and seek aligned internship opportunities that will:

• Provide an immersive learning experience.
• Develop professional skills and identify core values.
• Establish the work history necessary for résumé-building.
• Create and build relationships with key industry leaders.
• Stabilize a solid career path that will extend beyond HFC.

A successful internship, along with the guidance of their Detroit Promise coach, can provide numerous benefits for the JSLDF students selected for the cohort. It can help them focus on their academic goals and reduce the likelihood of interruptions in their studies, potential drop-out, or enrollment in unnecessary classes.

During the academic year, the JSLDF cohort will engage in intensive training in the following areas:

• Résumé preparation, mock interviews, and negotiation.
• The positives and negatives of social media, including LinkedIn profile optimization.
• How to utilize professional organizations, networking, and relationship building.
• Etiquette training and professional branding (attire, appearance, communication).
• Financial management, budgeting, banking, and building wealth.
• Understanding workplace culture and protocol.

To advance professionally and personally, it is crucial to possess specific soft skills. Some students may face deficits due to limited opportunities, life experiences, and exposure. This training aims to bridge that gap by offering specialized instruction and professional guidance to give students unique growth opportunities.

“I had the opportunity to do business with several charter schools in some of the most underserved areas of Detroit. I was impressed with the operation and success of these schools. I was later approached by the University of Michigan-Dearborn to assist students out of charter schools to further their education. We enlisted HFC to be part of it, to be a stepping stone out of high school. If these students completed an associate degree at HFC, UM-Dearborn would then accept them. I wanted both HFC and UM-Dearborn to be involved because it was the exact education I received, and it was a good one. I thought it would be a logical step for these students complete their associate degree at HFC and their bachelor’s degree at UM-Dearborn,” explained Stevens.

“HFC prepared me well”

Born in Dearborn, Stevens is the second of four children. He and his wife of 40 years have two children and five grandchildren. An alumnus of Edsel Ford High School, Stevens attended HFC (then Henry Ford Community College), where he earned his associate degree in general science. He transferred to UM-Dearborn, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in experimental biology. During his senior year at UM-Dearborn, he served as the president of student government.

“My parents had three sons in college at the same time. My family was not well-to-do. My father had just started a business and was not in a position to send any of us away for college. My brothers, Stanley and Dennis, also attended HFC, then transferred to UM-Dearborn, where all of us graduated,” recalled Stevens. “I received an excellent education at HFC. I took a combination of business and science classes. HFC prepared me well for UM-Dearborn.”

With his brother Stanley, Stevens founded CTS Companies in Bloomfield Hills in 1979. This IT company also has offices in Ann Arbor and Port Huron. Initially, CTS sold telephone systems, but it evolved into IT – voice, data, and network equipment. Stevens is now retired, and two of his nephews have taken over CTS.

"I am pleased that Mr. Stevens has partnered with the Foundation to offer a select group of our brightest Detroit Promise scholars with leadership and professional experiences that will help shape the foundation of their academic careers,” said HFC Assistant Director of Advancement Dr. Shai James-Boyd. “His commitment ensures that students from the greater Detroit area who seek to better themselves receive real-world experiences and opportunities to succeed, which is one of the many reasons HFC is regarded as one of the state's leading community colleges.”