The Oakland University School of Education and Human Services (SEHS) has awarded scholarships on Sept. 26 to three students pursuing bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees.

The Tapestry Scholarship for Organizational Leadership and Human Resource Development was granted to Amy Rowan (B.S. in Human Resource Development,) Jillian Gumz (Master of Organizational Leadership) and Victoria Dela Adeborna (Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership). Proud recipients of the endowed and merit-based scholarship, the students reflected in gratitude of this tremendous financial support. 

“I was so excited. It helps reduce the amount that I have to pay for my tuition, but at the same time, it’s an opportunity that’s created that I can also give one day,” Dela Adeborna said.

“This is the recognition of my hard work, dedication and the belief others see in me; it gives me confidence to keep pursuing my goals,” Rowan said. “This scholarship also alleviates my financial burden, allowing me to focus more on studies, personal growth and hopefully graduating debt-free.” 

This fund was established six years ago by a long-standing professor in OU’s Department of Organizational Leadership and his wife, David Strubler, human resource development professor and author of the book “The ‘Good Politics’ of Interdependent Leadership.” Strubler has been affiliated with the university for 42 years. 

A Rochester native, Strubler is invested in serving students along their quest in higher education. 

“I wanted to give back to Oakland. This is where I met my wife … where we started our life together and raised our kids. My son got his master’s in counseling right on the same floor I’m on. We’re really integrated into Oakland … that was our motivation to give back,” Strubler said.

His wife, Ann, grew up in Minnesota. Moving to Michigan for high school, she studied violin at the Interlochen Center for the Arts. An esteemed musician, she pursued a bachelor’s in music with honors in Violin Performance at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Massachusetts succeeded by a master’s in music in Violin Performance at Boston University.

In 1980, she was offered a position in the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) as a first violinist, performing for 30 years. From 1964 to 1991, Meadow Brook Theatre served as the summer residence for the DSO, which is where she met David.

“He was always at Meadowbrook. Around 1982, I met him at an intermission of one of the concerts, and my stand partner, Glenn, who knew him very well, introduced us. We ended up getting married and just celebrated our 41st wedding anniversary,” Ann said.

The scholarship was named after a documentary made about her by her son, Michael Strubler, and David Jouppi. “The Tapestry Story: A Musician’s Journey” illustrates her musical and spiritual life as an adoptee, leading her back to her birth parents. 

Ann’s birth mother recalled a memory from the day her daughter was picked up for adoption.

“My mind was momentarily distracted over to the side lawn, and I noticed all these beautiful autumn leaves lying there in a pattern that looked like a patchwork quilt or a beautiful piece of tapestry,” she said.

Ann’s biological grandfather was a violinist in the Chicago Symphony and drummer in the famous marching band of John Philip Sousa. The score to the hymn “Great Thy Faithful” was mailed to her from her birth mother before they met. Her biological father, an entertainment musician, had played with Frank Sinatra.

Her uncle, one of the first graduates from the Berklee College of Music, received his diploma from Duke Ellington. And her husband’s love of music is what brought him to Meadow Brook Theatre so frequently, proving that music connected her to the people she loves most. 

“Everybody is writing their own tapestry. Everyone is in the midst of their own story,” Ann said.

Tales of love and generosity like the Strublers are what contribute to OU’s thriving environment. This year, 111 scholarships were presented to SEHS students. It is one of nine academic schools at the university.

“Every year, OU opens its OU Annual Scholarship application from December 1 to March 1, which gives students an opportunity to apply for over 350 endowed and departmental scholarships with one application,” Nicole Boelk, director of financial aid and scholarships, said.