Investing in Future Leaders: Donors & Scholars Celebration 2026

Honoring Val and Bill Hall: Carrying the Legacy Forward

A highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Legacy of Excellence Award to Valerie (“Val”) Hall, ABEd ’65/AM ’76, and William (“Bill”) Hall, BSE ’65/MBA ’67/MS ’68/PhD ’69, of Adrian, MI. Sharon F. Matusik, Edward J. Frey Dean of Business at Michigan Ross, recognized the Halls’ six decades of service and their transformational philanthropic impact—from the classroom to corporate boardrooms to nonprofit and community leadership. After decades as educators, executives, and active volunteers at Ross, the College of Engineering, and Michigan Medicine, Val and Bill continue to embody what it means to build a better world through business.

The Halls’ commitment to student success shines through three endowed scholarships they established at Ross in 2007:

• The Eleanor Josaitis/Valerie and William Hall Family Undergraduate Scholarship Fund provides support to undergraduates with financial need, with a preference for those from Detroit Public Schools. The fund is named in honor of Detroit leader Eleanor Josaitis.
• The W. Allen Spivey/Valerie and William Hall Family Fellowship Fund provides support to doctoral candidates pursuing advanced business research. The fund is named in memory of Professor W. Allen Spivey.
• The William and Valerie Hall Family Fund provides support for undergraduate students with financial need, especially those from Adrian Public Schools.

“Val and I are honored to be receiving the Ross Legacy of Excellence Award,” Bill Hall wrote prior to the Donors & Scholars Celebration, “and we graciously accept this award to honor Professor Allen Spivey for his four decades of great teaching and research at the university and Eleanor Josaitis for her many contributions to youth in the inner city of Detroit."

In his award acceptance speech, Hall shared a personal, Wolverine-themed fairytale about how he and Val left the “small den” of their hometown of Adrian for the “Big Den” of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and how a group of older Wolverines helped him with financial aid and part-time jobs to allow him to prosper at the university. What was the moral of his story and the purpose of their generosity to Michigan? In the end, Hall shared that it was about “helping wolverines to lead better lives.”

Transforming Lives Through Scholarships

Each year, more than 500 donor-funded scholarships provide more than $1.5 million in support to Ross undergraduate and graduate students. These scholarships not only relieve financial pressures for students; they give them the freedom to focus on academics, pursue ambitious goals, and enter the world of business with confidence, knowing a community of supporters stands behind them.

Just ask Manasi Kutwal, a PhD student at Ross, who is completing her doctoral dissertation with support from a Hall-funded fellowship. Kutwal spoke at the Donors & Scholars Celebration about the benefits of this support.  

“The Spivey Hall Fellowship gives me the invaluable freedom to devote myself fully to my dissertation: to ask deeper questions, take intellectual risks, and push my research forward without distraction. More than financial assistance, it feels like a profound vote of confidence in my potential.”

In an earlier thank-you letter to the Halls, Kutwal shared this:

Growing up in a family of school teachers shaped my belief in education as a force for meaningful change. Aligned with Ross’s commitment to building a better world through business, this financial support allows me to pursue challenging research questions with the focus and rigor they demand.

“I am deeply grateful for this support, which not only advances my research but also supports my growth as a scholar prepared to address important questions in the field.”

Kutwal shares this experience with hundreds of other Ross students who receive donor-funded scholarships. One such student is William Harper, BBA ’26, of Detroit. He is pursuing his studies with the scholarship support from the Hall Family Undergraduate Scholarship Fund.

“The plethora of opportunities that I’ve been able to work toward is truly endless,” Harper said. 

“This support has been extremely encouraging as I know that there are other people out there who believe in me as much as I believe in myself.”

A Community United in Purpose

The 2026 Donors & Scholars Celebration closed with a powerful sense of community. Stories were exchanged, new friendships sparked, and a shared promise renewed: to keep building, keep giving, and keep believing in business as a force for good.

“A core tenet of why we exist as a school is to grow future leaders who are prepared to build a better world through business,” said Dean Matusik. “Donor-funded scholarships play a huge role in helping us to succeed in this important work.”

As future generations look to Michigan Ross for a world-class business education, the school looks to its alumni and friends to help continue its legacy of excellence. Every act of generosity—whether a one-time gift or an ongoing commitment—propels the next generation of Ross leaders toward innovation, growth, and global impact. Together, we are building a better world through business and business education.

To help catalyze future leaders, consider making a gift. Visit michiganross.umich.edu/giving.