The Wayne State University College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) will honor three alumni: Marietta L. Baba, Eva Garza and Dr. Vahid Majidi, and community leaders A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap at the First Annual Collegian Awards this fall.

The Collegian Awards, established by the College in 2007, recognize outstanding alumni for their individual achievements, contributions to their industries or professions and service to their community. In addition, CLAS will present one Community Leadership Award, which recognizes individuals or organizations whose longstanding leadership and service has made a significant impact on their field and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Baba, who holds an MBA and Ph.D., is dean of the College of Social Science and Professor of Anthropology at Michigan State University. She also maintains an appointment as Adjunct Professor of Management in the Eli Broad College of Business at Michigan State University. Previously, she was professor and chair of the Department of Anthropology at Wayne State University.

Garza Dewaelsche serves as president and CEO, SER Metro-Detroit, Jobs for Progress, Inc., one of the largest workforce investment organizations in the city of Detroit, with four locations citywide. She is also president of Central States SER (CSS) which operates two locations in Chicago, Ill.

Majidi serves as the assistant director for the Weapons of Mass Destruction Directorate at the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Previously, he served as the Chemistry Division Leader at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and served as the Chief Science Advisor to the Department of Justice, where he was responsible for coordinating science technology policy among the department’s component agencies and with state and local law enforcement entities.

A. Paul Schaap and Carol C Schaap will receive the Community Leadership Award from CLAS. A former chemistry professor at WSU, A. Paul Schaap formed Lumigen, Inc. in 1987, and until recently, served as president of the company. Carol Schaap served as the secretary to the chemistry chair at WSU and later served as secretary to former WSU President David Adamany from 1982 to 1990. A. Paul and Carol Schaap met at Wayne State University. They created the A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Endowed Chair in Organic Chemistry at WSU and the A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Endowed Distinguished Graduate Stipend Fund, to assist chemistry graduate students in their studies.

The First Annual Collegian Awards Dinner will be held at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 25 at the Ritz-Carlton, 300 Town Center Drive, in Dearborn. For ticket and sponsorship information, please call (313) 577-8336.

Wayne State University is a premier institution of higher education offering more than 350 academic programs through 11 schools and colleges to nearly 33,000 students.