Donna J. Roberts

When Donna was sixteen, she enrolled in a commercial high school where students were trained for office jobs and worked part-time while completing high school. Donna devoted eleven-hour days to completing her high school requirements and working at a law firm for several attorneys. She put herself through law school, and graduated from the University of Detroit School of Law with her J.D. For 23 years, Donna was the Secretary and Assistant General Counsel for The Dow Chemical Company in Midland, retiring in 1996.

Donna has a long history of service and leadership to Saginaw Valley State University. She served on the SVSU Board of Control, the SVSU Foundation Board of Directors, the SVSU Board of Fellows, and the SVSU Annual Fund Committee. In her community, Donna has been involved in many organizations, including the United Way of Midland County, National Kidney Foundation of Midland, the Midland Foundation, Midland Public Schools Board of Education, and various other organizations. Donna’s many community awards include: Midland Rotary Club Vocational Award, Girl Scouts Woman of Distinction, and the SVSU Distinguished Service Medallion. Donna is deeply committed to providing opportunities for dedicated, promising students at SVSU.

The Roberts Fellowship was established in 1999 to provide a concentrated focus on leadership through coursework and international travel. Each year, many students apply for twelve coveted openings as Roberts Fellows, and are chosen through an extensive application and interview process.