CMU alumna honored by Detroit Lions for being a community hero

For Central Michigan University alumna Stephanie Trexler, creating joy during life’s hardest moments has always been a calling. Her commitment to her passion was recently recognized by the Detroit Lions, who honored Trexler as a 2025 winner of the team’s “That Deserves a Crown” campaign. The program, conducted in a partnership with Crown Royal, highlights leaders in Michigan who are making a difference in their communities through charitable works or volunteerism.  

Trexler is the founder of Once Upon a Room Grand Rapids, a volunteer and donor-driven nonprofit that transforms hospital rooms into personalized, themed spaces for children facing long-term hospital stays. For her efforts as a “That Deserves a Crown” winner, Trexler was given tickets to a Lions game at Ford Field, sideline passes, and a pre-game on-field salute.

“Being recognized during a Detroit Lions game was truly surreal and incredibly humbling,” Trexler said. “I am a lifelong Lions fan, so to be on the field and honored by the organization with my family beside me felt very full circle.”

The inspiration to launch the Grand Rapids chapter of Once Upon a Room was deeply personal. In 2022, Trexler watched a close friend navigate through weeks in the NICU with her newborn son, who was born with a severe congenital heart defect. Around the same time, Trexler saw a hospital room transformation shared by a friend in Dallas through Once Upon a Room.

“When I reached out to the national organization to get involved, they told me there wasn’t a Grand Rapids chapter and asked if I wanted to start one,” she said. “That conversation changed everything.”

What began as a small volunteer effort has since evolved into a board-led organization of more than 25 women, with strong hospital partnerships, regular monthly decorating days, and special events throughout the year. In August 2025, Once Upon a Room Grand Rapids celebrated its 100^th hospital room makeover. Trexler estimates she spends 10 to 20 hours a week supporting the organization, but says the time commitment never feels like a burden.

“It has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life,” she said. “Seeing a child’s face light up when they walk into a room designed just for them never gets old.”

A proud 2013 graduate of the College of Business Administration, member of Alpha Chi Omega, and 2023 recipient of the 10 Within 10 alumni recognition, Trexler credits Central with helping shape the leader she is today.

“CMU instilled confidence in me to lead, to ask questions, and to build something from the ground up,” she said. “My experience on campus taught me how to collaborate, manage responsibility, and give back to the community around me.”

Those CMU connections continue to play an active role in her nonprofit work. Friends from Central serve on the Once Upon a Room Grand Rapids board, alumni support the organization by sponsoring rooms and fulfilling Amazon wish lists, and CMU students volunteer through service projects and mentorships. During Greek Week last year, students even collected items for parent caregiver bags.

“The relationships I built at CMU reinforced that success isn’t just about career achievements—it’s about service and impact,” Trexler said. “That mindset influences everything I do.”

While the Lions and Crown Royal recognized Trexler individually, she is quick to shift the spotlight back to the caring community around her that makes her mission possible.

“This recognition wasn’t just about me,” she said. “It represents volunteers, donors, students, local businesses, and hospital partners who all show up to make life a little brighter for families during incredibly hard moments.”

Rooted in the values she developed at Central Michigan University, Trexler’s commitment to service continues to ripple through her community, and her work reflects the lasting impact CMU Chippewas can make by leading with purpose and heart.

Notes: Trexler lives in the Grand Rapids area with her husband and two young daughters. In addition to leading Once Upon a Room Grand Rapids, she is also the owner of Golden Goose Wealth Planning, a fee-only fiduciary financial planning firm serving women and families.