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Our First President: Donald C. Hunt

October 13, 2022 4:39 pm Published by 1 Comment
Image of Donald Hunt, first CEA president

By Kelly Harper, CEIA 2015 – 2016 President

In 1963, the Cooperative Education Association was established by Don Hunt, University of Detroit, and Frank Jakes, Ford Motor Company. Both served as Presidents of the Association, intending to expand Cooperative Education, especially in non-engineering disciplines.

Don Hunt graduated from the University of Detroit, earning degrees in Aeronautical Engineering and a Master’s in Business Administration. He joined the University of Detroit in 1944 as an assistant professor of aeronautical engineering in the College of Engineering. He served as the chairman of the Department of Aeronautical Engineering, chairman of Industrial Coordination, and Director of Coordination and Placement.  He was later the Director of Placement and Cooperative Education and non-academic Personnel.  In 1979 he was appointed Dean of Co-op, Career Planning, and Placement, a position he held until his retirement in 1987.

He received the Herman Schneider Award (1970) for his outstanding contribution to the advancement of Cooperative Education from the Cooperative Education Association.   University of Detroit’s January 19, 1970 News Release announced the Herman Schneider Award to be given to Hunt at the annual convention of the Cooperative Education Association.  The news release further announced that “The association presents the award annually in recognition of an individual’s outstanding efforts to further cooperative education on the college and university level.  One of the founding members of the Cooperative Education Association, Hunt has been a catalyst in the development and expansion of the concept of cooperative education at colleges throughout the nation.  He also is a trustee of the National Committee on Cooperative Education.  At the University of Detroit, Hunt has strengthened the required co-op programs in engineering and architecture.  In addition, he has established an optional co-op program in business administration on both the undergraduate and graduate levels.”

As a founding editor of the Journal of Cooperative Education, a position he held from 1964-1967, Mr. Hunt edited and published five editions of 50 Views of Cooperative Education and authored Legal Considerations in Cooperative Education Administration, a noted reference volume.  Fifty Views of Cooperative Education presented the opinions of educators and business men involved in designing and administering co-op programs.

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This post was written by rich@ceiainc.org

1 Comment

  • Paul Gould says:

    I had the honor & pleasure of having Don Hunt as my mentor when I started the co-op program at Macomb Community College. Under his guidance that we developed the program on an alternating plan of terms at work and school. Awarding academic credit for work terms & required two work terms to complete the program.

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