FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Renee Prewitt

Director of Communications and Marketing

(313) 927-1446

Community Activist To Receive Distinguished Alumni Award

Detroit, Michigan—August 30, 2004— Elizabeth Fischer Richards will receive the Marygrove College Distinguished Alumni Award, on Friday, September 17, 2004, 7 p.m., for her outstanding civic and political contributions. The ceremony will take place in the college’s newly renovated theatre. Marygrove is located at 8425 W. McNichols Road, Detroit, Michigan.

In 1980 she served as the director of the U.S. Census Office for Oakland County. This position led to a life-long career in public policy and community health issues.

Richards served as Gov. James Blanchard’s scheduler in his first gubernatorial campaign. Upon his election, she became an executive office administrator and subsequently, human services adviser. During his second term, she was appointed to serve as director of legislative relations for the Department of Social Services, where she influenced state-wide policy on issues relating to housing, homelessness, mental health, and Native Americans.

In 1991 she left the department and worked on developing Smart Start, the first community-based elementary school health center in Genesee County. Smart Start became a nationally recognized model and was featured in "Together We Can," a publication produced by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of Education.

-MORE-

Over the years she has volunteered at Alternatives For Girls, the Coalition on Temporary Shelter, and Focus Hope in Detroit. She has been actively involved with the League of Women Voters for over 30 years and has served in many leadership roles. Currently she serves on the board of directors for the Father Clement Kern Foundation in Detroit and chairs the committee overseeing the grant award process and is a member of the Women and Girls Fund Advisory Council.

For the past 13 years, Richards has worked at Mott Children's Health Center, a non-profit organization that serves the health needs of children of less fortunate families in the Flint area. In this capacity she works directly with the president and its board of directors to develop outreach and communications programs for the health center.

Richards and her family reside in Royal Oak, Michigan.

The Marygrove College Distinguished Alumni Awards were established in 2002 to recognize and honor alumni of distinction. These awards celebrate the college’s ideals of competence, commitment and compassion. Other recipients are Mary Ellen Hanlon Riordan ’41; Ann Gabriel Kilsdonk, IHM ’45; Elsa Potter ’60; Khris Nedham ‘98; Mary Massaron Ross ’82; and Angela Celeste May ’90. # # #