It was no ordinary, windy evening in Flint.  Downtown, ArtWalk had drawn people out for numerous events, restaurants were poised for hungry customers, signs had appeared on sidewalks and buildings. a wedding party had just stepped outside of a church for photos and a band was setting up at the GFAC Gallery.  It was here, that UM-Flint students, faculty, guests, friends, family and ArtWalk enthusiasts gathered to get a look at what the art, design, and art history students have been working on throughout the year. It was one event on a long list among others.  Looking down Saginaw street, people passed along the sidewalks, some dressed in their everyday clothes, others dressed in formal attire, all with places to go and things to see.  The wind blew them about, persuading them toward the gallery where something special was taking place.

Inside, people stood nearly shoulder to shoulder admiring the work, balancing their refreshments on small plates and hoping not to spill their drinks as they nudged their way through.  Their conversations merged and the space brimmed with a hum that increased in volume and movement as faculty members formed a line alongside of the lucky few who had claimed seats facing the stage.  It was no small feat to gain the attention of the crowd.  Many ArtWalk enthusiasts were unaware of this special night.  The faculty-formed border surrounding that space carved out for the Awards Ceremony to recognize Student Achievements and Juried Awards for the exhibition.  Those in the crowd who understood the significance of these applauded and cheered as each award and name was announced.  Cellphones were raised from every angle to capture the elated smiles of the students who came forward.  The crowd was urged several times to quiet and the hum lowered to some degree, as the program continued, but among them, embedded in this throng, were students….students who had been sworn to secrecy!

“Why” you ask?  (Don’t deny it, I heard you.)  What happened next was something that had never happened before at the Annual Student Art Exhibition.  It’s purpose is to recognize students after all. But, this year was different.  This year a group of students and alumni got together, on their own, and decided it was time to recognize two faculty for continually going above and beyond to benefit the students.  It took numerous discussions, the tossing of numerous ideas back and forth until, they came up with something that expressed the heart-felt gratitude they have for these faculty members, Tim Kranz and Dr. Sarah Lippert.

  Each of them were presented with a Certificate of Award, in appreciation for their selfless dedication and commitment to the art students at the University of Michigan-Flint, given by the students of the Visual Arts Program.  In addition to this, Tim Kranz and Dr. Sarah Lippert now have Stars named after them.  Yes, there are now stars in the actual sky that now bear their names!  They were both presented with star certificates which bear the ‘coordinates’ of their stars in space, complete with their registry number and a star-chart for locating them.  These two faculty were then presented with journals in which students signed their names and wrote personal messages to describe the impact that Tim and Sarah have made indelibly upon their lives.

The evening of May 13th was a most memorable evening, filled with excitement, anticipation, and a blustery sensation that something different was in the air.  It was the annual high-point for students to showcase the best of their work and be recognized, but more than that, it was an opportunity for them to come together in one voice, to give something back….and what they said in that one voice was loud and clear.

They said, “Thank you, Tim Kranz and Dr. Lippert, for giving us your best.”