Family and Friends of James E. O’Neill, Jr.

James E. O’Neill, Jr. was a 1947 graduate of St. Mary’s Cathedral High School in Saginaw. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from Central Michigan University in 1951. He served in the U.S. Army from 1951-53. He earned a Master’s degree in Education Administration from the University of Michigan in 1958.

Mr. O’Neill was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives in 1966, and served there for 28 years until his retirement in 1994. Following his service in the Legislature, he worked for Saginaw Valley State University as a consultant for Government Relations and Public Affairs. He received an Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from SVSU in 1984.

Mr. O’Neill was elected to the Michigan Education Hall of Fame and the Catholic Schools Hall of Fame. He was a recipient of the Saginaw County Bar Association’s Liberty Bell Award. Mr. O’Neill served on the Board of Directors of the Field Neurosciences Institute and his daughter, Margaret, is on the staff at SVSU. Mr. O’Neill passed away in December 2002.

The scholarship fund was established in 1991 by Mr. O’Neill to encourage excellence and provide assistance to student athletes.