Alumni Service Recognition Award
Michael Hull '08, '11
2026 Alumni Service Recognition Award: Michael Hull
2008, College of Education and Human Services, Recreation, Parks and Leisure Services Administration; M.S., 2011, College of Education and Human Services, Administration (Leadership)
The Alumni Service Recognition Award is bestowed upon alumni of CMU who show compassion for addressing critical social, economic and environmental needs throughout our society on a local, state, national or international level.
For Michael Hull, ’08, M.S.A. ’11, CMU wasn’t just where he earned his degrees — it’s where he found his purpose. He arrived on campus with one path in mind, explored others, and then discovered the Recreation, Parks and Leisure Services Administration program. “From the first class, I knew I had found my place and my purpose,” he said. That clarity has never left him.
As a student, Mike was deeply involved in campus life — not just in the classroom but through student organizations and extracurricular engagement. After completing his master’s degree, he stayed on campus as CMU’s assistant director of Admissions, a role he held from 2008 to 2012. During that time, he guided prospective students toward the community and opportunity that CMU had given him — the most natural extension of everything the RPL program had taught him about service.
His career in mission-driven leadership grew from there. After two years as community engagement manager at the American Cancer Society, Mike joined St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, where he served as regional executive director for the Great Lakes Region for eight years. In that role, he led with the same humility and care that defined his time at CMU, keeping the mission at the center of every decision.
In 2022, Mike continued his calling by joining Make-A-Wish Michigan as president and CEO. Under his leadership, the number of wishes granted in Michigan each year has grown to more than 500. That milestone reflects his strategic skill, but more than that, it reflects his deep empathy and genuine desire to bring hope to children and families facing critical illness.
He remains closely connected to CMU, welcoming interns from the university and using those relationships to honor the RPL program's investment in him. “It allows me to pay it forward and help guide and inspire the next generation of leaders.” For Mike, CMU is home — and every interaction with it brings him back to where it all began.
The Central Michigan University Alumni Association is proud to announce Michael Hull as the recipient of the 2026 Alumni Service Recognition Award.
