Community Recognition Alumni Award

James E. Hornak, ’65 MA ’66, has been an active member of the Mount Pleasant community and an avid supporter of Special Olympics Michigan for nearly 40 years.

Since 1972, Jim has volunteered his services to Special Olympics Michigan and has held many roles in the organization. He coordinated an athletics event for the 1975 Special Olympics International Games that were held at CMU and continues to serve on the Games Committee for both the summer and winter games.

Through his role as a CMU faculty member, Jim has encouraged countless students to become Special Olympics Michigan volunteers. In 2003, he was appointed to the Special Olympics Michigan Board of Directors and was elected board chairman in 2008. In recognition of his exceptional volunteerism, he was inducted into the Special Olympics Michigan Hall of Fame.

As a member of the Mount Pleasant Jaycees in the 1970s, Jim chaired the “Walk for Mankind” fundraiser. This project received Best Community Event recognition from the Michigan Jaycees organization. He also has served 30-plus years on the fundraising committee for Ducks Unlimited, a world organization devoted to wetlands and waterfowl conservation.

Jim is one of the founders of the Mount Pleasant Youth Soccer Program and has coached boys’ and girls’ softball, baseball, and soccer. For his significant involvement in youth sports, he received a Recognition Award from the Mount Pleasant Parks and Recreation Department.

Jim has been a faculty member of the Department of Physical Education and Sport at CMU since 1966, and he is a former department chairman. In 2004, he received the Faculty Distinguished Service Award for his excellent contributions to the CMU community.

For more than 25 years, Jim has been a major donor to CMU and has helped fund athletics scholarships, as well as the Health Professions and the Education and Human Services Building projects. He has been a member of numerous CMU committees, including the design team for the new CMU Events Center. In addition, he helped initiate The Herbert H. And Grace A. Dow College of Health Professions Golf Outing, which raises money for the Health Professions Student Economic Emergency Fund.