Board of Trustees
Elizabeth Garvey A birthright Quaker, I’m a long-time resident of southeast Michigan, and a WC graduate (‘65) in English, psychology, religion & secondary education, followed years later by 2 master’s degrees from Michigan State University. I have served on the WC Board of Trustees since 2017, and previously on the President’s Advisory Council for 8 years. I’ve 2 adult children and 5 grandchildren. In 2015, I received WC’s John Frazier Award for Distinguished Volunteer Service. Locally, I’ve given many years of service in multiple community organizations including local schools, Salvation Army, Friends of the Library Board, United Way, Love INC (Love In the Name of Christ), P.E.O., Girl Scouts and others. Following 3 years of teaching 7th grade, I was a stay-at-home mother for 18 years. Most of my volunteering was focused on children and youth, drawing on my teaching experience. Along with a weekly radio program, “Radio Storytime,” for 15.5 years, I led large Girl Scout troops for 7 years, and trained Girl Scout leaders for 13 years. Leading community women’s Bible studies for 4 years blessed me in still another way. At the same time, mostly through sweat equity, my husband & I spent 10 years restoring a 13-room 1887 Victorian. Creating a densely planted 3,500 square foot organic garden and a small orchard provided us with organic produce all year. Later, I was a year-round private tutor for 27 years including while teaching community college composition for 3 years. I wrapped up my teaching career with 11.5 years teaching 18-21-year-old hard-core criminal youth in a high-security juvenile prison. Saving my annual leave created time for 2 international service trips: teaching oral English language at a 2-week camp for teenagers in Poland and 3 weeks spent teaching secondary and university English teachers in China the skills for teaching English reading comprehension. Someday I may write a book! A volunteer presenter of legacy-building seminars for women, I've also been a motivational speaker for a variety of business and community groups. Additionally, I provided years of free budget & financial counseling to individuals and groups. In retirement, I have been blessed to be a world traveler for missions and adventure travel, expanding my passion for volunteer service worldwide. Taking up to 200 new dresses & shorts for village children “in the back of beyond” and for orphanages turned more than 2 dozen of my adventure-travel trips into mission trips. Serving on 15 annual mission trips (until Covid 19) to the mountains of Guatemala to build houses for widows included taking 3 grandchildren individually to introduce them to international service. Since 2012, I’ve been involved in a prison ministry of restoration and reconciliation for incarcerated parents and their children. Other outreach includes a food distribution ministry and the county branch of Foster Closet of Michigan, which provides free clothing, shoes and supplies to foster children in nearby communities.Another great passion is being a financial supporter of scholarships locally, nationally, internationally, and especially at Wilmington College.