Corporate or Foundation Partner Award

The Charles J. Strosacker Foundation is a privately operated family foundation located in Midland, Michigan, with a mission to support education, social and human services, sports and recreation, community development, and the performing arts. The late Charles John Strosacker is one of the pioneers of The Dow Chemical Company established the foundation in 1957. John Strosacker was born in Valley City, Ohio, in 1882. In 1906, he earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the Case School of Applied Science. Mr. Strosacker’s acquaintance, Herbert H. Dow, offered him a job with the company he established, The Dow Chemical Company. Mr. Strosacker convinced the inventor of Cling Wrap to produce his product at The Dow Chemical Company, beginning their collaborative success. Following Herbert Dow’s death Charles became a member of the Board of Directors and eventually promoted to the Vice President of Dow.

Inspired by his sister’s devotion to the Presbyterian Church in Midland, Mr. Strosacker began his philanthropy by constructing a new church building in his sister’s honor. Charles’ philanthropy was not exclusively made to the Presbyterian Church. Less visible kindnesses were demonstrated toward widows and other relatives of Dow employees, with payments on mortgages and hospital bills. Charles was also known to send frequent care packages to two female cousins in Munich trying to survive during the constant Allied bombings. In 1963 Mr. Strosacker passed away at the age of 84 but the foundation he began remains very much alive today.

The Charles J. Strosacker Foundation is a long-standing, close partner with Central Michigan University (CMU). With a lifetime giving of $1,206,750, the Foundation has 21 years of giving to the university, with 15 of those being consecutive. The Foundation has supported a wide variety of projects and programs on campus, with its most recent support targeted for the CMU College of Medicine and the CMU Education Building Project. Across campus you can find multiple dedications with the Strosacker name such as The Dr. Charles J. Strosacker Professional Development Center in the Education Building, The Physical Disabilities and Adaptive Living Research Laboratory in the Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Health Professions Building and the The Strosacker Room in Park Library. In addition, the Foundation has established the Charles J. Strosacker Endowed Medical Scholarship at CMU.

Although foundations, by nature, do not provide traditional partnership opportunities like internships, recruiting or academic involvement, the Strosacker Foundation’s support of programs and projects at CMU is instrumental in the university's ability to offer the best possible educational opportunities and resources to its students.?