Oakland University to award honorary degrees at spring commencement ceremonies

As part of its spring 2026 commencement ceremonies, Oakland University will award honorary degrees to three individuals for outstanding achievements in their respective fields.

Glenn McIntosh has been selected to receive a Doctor of Humane Letters Honoris Causa.

With over 40 years of service in higher education, Glenn McIntosh's professional life was defined by advocacy, equity and empowerment. Affectionally known as "Mr. OU," he served as Oakland University's vice president for student affairs and chief diversity officer until his passing in September 2025.

In his early years with Oakland, McIntosh served as a Project Upward Bound instructor and as founding director of the Center for Multicultural Initiatives. He created the Oakland University Trustee Academic Success (OUTAS) program, which today continues to garner national recognition for its retention and graduation rates of underrepresented students.

A true servant leader, McIntosh was deeply committed to ensuring that people from all walks of life had the opportunity to thrive. To foster inclusiveness, he created the Veterans Support Services Office and the Gender and Sexuality Center, among other initiatives.

A former athlete and bodybuilder, McIntosh took an active role with the OU athletics department as a strength, conditioning and nutrition coach and was instrumental in the department's NCAA Division I certification process. For all his contributions, he was presented with the George Wibby Award.

McIntosh played a key role in the OU-Pontiac Initiative and demonstrated his tremendous character even further through involvement in organizations including the American Heart Association, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and the NAACP. He was also a minister at his church, a motivational speaker and author of the self-improvement book "It's Time to Bring Your A-Game!"

He established the Lynne A. McIntosh Scholarship and the Lynne & Lia McIntosh Scholarship, which annually sponsor OU's Keeper of the Dream Award, given to students who break down cultural stereotypes and promote interracial understanding. His memory also lives on through the Glenn McIntosh Memorial Fund, which honors his life and legacy of advancing student success, equity and inclusion.

McIntosh will be honored at the9 a.m. ceremony on Thursday, April 30,at the OU Credit Union O'rena. His wife, Lia, will accept the award on his behalf.

Laurie Marker has been selected to receive a Doctor of Science Honoris Causa.

Professor Marker is one of the world's leading authorities on cheetah conservation, renowned for pioneering research, visionary leadership and global impact on wildlife. Her journey began in 1974 at Oregon's Wildlife Safari, where she managed the veterinary clinic and developed the country's most successful cheetah breeding program, laying the foundation for breakthroughs in cheetah health and genetics.

In 1977, Marker's pioneering fieldwork in Namibia showed she could rewild captive-born cheetahs and uncovered livestock farmers were killing hundreds of cheetahs annually. Determined to address this crisis, she forged collaborative research partnerships in 1982 with the United States National Cancer Institute and the Smithsonian Institution's National Zoo, playing a central role in identifying the cheetah's alarming lack of genetic diversity-a discovery that fundamentally changed conservation science.

In 1988, Marker became executive director of New Opportunities in Animal Health Sciences Center (NOAHS) at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., advancing animal health and genetics research. The following year, she relocated to Namibia at its independence, establishing the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) and launching the first predator conservation program outside protected areas. Her innovative, science-based strategies integrated cheetah biology, ecology and livestock management, providing sustainable solutions to human-wildlife conflict and setting new global standards for predator conservation.

At the CCF's internationally recognized Research and Education Centre in Namibia, Marker built a state-of-the-art veterinary clinic and genetics laboratory, personally overseeing the health, rescue, and rehabilitation of more than 1,800 cheetahs, creating the most comprehensive cheetah health database. Her leadership in developing Namibia's Conservancy programs has empowered local communities and fostered sustainable wildlife management. Serving as chair of the Conservancy Association of Namibia and the Large Carnivore Management Association, Marker's influence has been integral to conservation initiatives in Namibia.

Marker has united research and conservation scientists and government officials from nearly every cheetah range country, facilitating knowledge exchange and collaboration, strengthening conservation programs across Africa and beyond, including founding the Cheetah Rescue and Conservation Centre (CRCC) in Somaliland in 2017. There, she leads the care of over 125 confiscated cheetah cubs rescued from the illegal wildlife pet trade and trains veterinarians, wildlife managers, farmers, teachers, law enforcement and community leaders to combat the illegal trade and protect cheetahs.

In recent years, Marker has played a pivotal role in developing Somaliland's first community conservancies and contributed to the historic reintroduction of cheetahs to India in 2022. She holds a DPhil in Zoology from Oxford University, is an A.D. White Professor-at-Large at Cornell University and has authored over 170 peer-reviewed scientific papers and four influential books, including the definitive textbook "CHEETAHS: Biology and Conservation."

Her achievements have been recognized with numerous awards, including the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement, the E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Technology Pioneer Award, the Explorer's Club President's Award for Conservation, the Lowell Thomas Award, the Society of Women's Geographers Gold Medal and the Order of the California Condor. Marker's enduring motto, "Save the Cheetah and Change the World," reflects her lifelong dedication to the species and wildlife conservation.

Marker will be honored at the 2 p.m. ceremony on Thursday, April 30, at the OU Credit Union O'rena.

Robert (Bobby) Schostak has been selected to receive a Doctor of Business Honoris Causa.

Founded in 1920, Schostak and his brothers oversee Schostak Family Enterprises, a Michigan-based commercial and industrial real estate company, as well as TEAM Schostak Family Restaurants, which owns and operates restaurants including Applebee's, MOD Pizza and Olga's Kitchen throughout the state of Michigan. The company is now in its fourth generation.

In addition, Schostak is the CEO and general partner of the Birmingham, Michigan-based MadDog Venture Capital, a fund focused on early-stage tech startups. He is also the founder of Templar Baker Group, a political consulting and fundraising firm based in Lansing, Michigan, which has clients across the U.S.

Appointed by Governor Rick Snyder, Schostak served on Oakland University's Board of Trustees from 2015-2024. During his three years as board chair, from 2021-2024, OU achieved several significant milestones, including the successful completion of its largest-ever comprehensive campaign. Known as "Aspire. Advance. Achieve.," the campaign surpassed its $250 million goal more than six months ahead of schedule.

Schostak serves on the boards of several companies, including Belle Tire, Boji Group Real Estate, Michigan Capital Advisors and Gardner White Furniture, as well as on the advisory boards for both the Republican Governors Association and the Republican Jewish Coalition. He also acts as an advisor to several early and mid-stage tech startup investments.

He is a director of the Schostak Family Support Foundation and serves on the Urban Land Institute's Michigan Advisory Board and the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital Congenital Heart Center National Advisory Board. In each of these roles, Schostak has worked to bridge business, government and community interests, reflecting his belief in civic engagement and economic development as tools for building community.

A proud Oakland University alumnus, Schostak has shown a deep devotion to his alma mater through extensive volunteer leadership. He currently serves on the Management Committee for the Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine. Previously, he served on the College of Arts and Sciences Advisory Board, OU Foundation Board of Directors, President's Campaign Council, Judaic Studies Program Advisory Board and CAS Ambassadors Leadership Board. In recognition of his exemplary service, Schostak received the Oakland University Alumni Association's Distinguished Alumni Spirit Award in 2007.

Schostak and his wife, Nancy, have made a positive impact through philanthropy. In 2022, the couple was honored by Hillel Day School as the Rabbi Jacob E. Segal Award and "Dream Maker" honorees. At Oakland University, their generous gifts have resulted in naming a new conference room in Wilson Hall, provided support to OU's medical school and Judaic Studies program, and funded the creation of the Dennis Muchmore Public Policy Series. The annual series, launched through OU's Center for Civic Engagement, brings together diverse voices to discuss critical issues in a constructive and civil forum.

Schostak will be honored at the2 p.m. ceremony on Friday, May 1, at the OU Credit Union O'rena.