Kenneth Coleman, who recently donated $1M to U of M with his wife, retiring President Mary Sue Coleman, was given the International Samaritan Magis Award for his volunteer research workInternational Samaritan, a local nonprofit organization with a mission of alleviating severe poverty in garbage dump communities in developing countries, has awarded its Magis Award to Kenneth Coleman for his generous pro bono research work. Coleman, who was recently recognized for his major donation to the University of Michigan and also is a donor to International Samaritan, has volunteered with the organization for more than seven years.
Coleman’s quantitative and qualitative research on student volunteers’ service immersion trip experiences has not only been useful in the organization’s continued development of its program, but has been a critical piece in receiving grant funding. When told his research was key in receiving a mid-six figure award, which will build a school for more than 350 children in Central America, Coleman humbly commented, “That makes the research about the most important research I have ever done.”
“We are blessed to be able to work with someone like Ken,” said Father Don Vettese, S.J., founder of International Samaritan. “He is generous and kind in every facet of his life; truly a man for others. Our program would not be the same without his contribution of time and expertise.”
The Magis Award was created to recognize persons who serve Jesuits missions in a spirit that is distinctly generous. “Magis” is a Latin word rooted in the Latin term majorem - an ideal based in the deep desire to seek the greater good, and it is a foundation of the Jesuit philosophy to be “men and women for others.”
International Samaritan is a nonprofit organization founded in 1995 and based in Ann Arbor. The organization, which operates on donations, strives to build good communities for the people living in and around city garbage dumps in developing countries. For more information visit http://intsam.org.
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