The Endowed Thomas A. Coens Quality Fund
For Scholarship Information and Application Form
Thomas A. Coens, Capital Quality Initiative (CQI) member, Lansing Community College employee, teacher, author, attorney, husband, father and grandfather, died from cancer December 21, 2002. When Tom Coens passed, CQI lost one of its most staunch supporters. Tom's contributions to CQI started in the early years on the CQI Steering Committee. He wanted CQI to be a role model of a real "quality" organization. When he was president of the CQI Steering Committee he energized the organization to continue to stretch itself. Tom believed in the mission and the people involved. He was an ardent disciple of Dr. W. Edwards Deming, but always encouraged us to welcome other views and theories in quality management. He encouraged us to have the conversations and discussions that come with differing views, because he saw that as a part of the learning process.
To honor Tom's memory, and to celebrate the ideals he was passionate about, CQI established a program and scholarship fund with the Lansing Community College Foundation – the Thomas A. Coens Quality Fund. This fund will provide program funding for eligible applicants to attend classes, seminars, programs, and conferences or to host guest speakers for the purpose of learning about or applying the quality management philosophy or practices of Dr. W. Edwards Deming and/or emerging theories and understandings of organizational and personal excellence. More importantly, it will keep alive Tom's vision of making a difference in our world through service and leadership in the quality movement.
When we started this fund, we hoped to build it to become endowed, though at the start, none of us really thought this would ever happen. However, with the very generous support of the many people who knew Tom and believed in what he believed in, this fund has reached the level needed for endowment – $25,000 – as of January, 2007.
The Funding committee is now accepting applications for program scholarships. The committee will be meeting three times a year to select potential recipients. For additional information, contact CQI at 517 483-1363.
We are still accepting contributions to the fund, as this will enable us to increase the amount given out in future years. Tax deductible contributions to the Thomas A. Coens Quality Fund can be sent to the LCC Foundation, Lansing Community College, 8021 - LCC Foundation, P. O. Box 40010, Lansing, MI 48901.
