Livonia, MI – In addition to recognizing its generous benefactors at Deo Gratias, Madonna’s annual donor appreciation event, the University also presented three Alumni Awards and a Community Partner Award.
Madonna President Chris Dougherty expressed his appreciation to the assembled group. “On behalf of everyone on the leadership team, our faculty, staff, and students, we are ever grateful for your ongoing support,” said Dougherty.
He went on to highlight the vital role Madonna plays in today’s higher education landscape. “As a Catholic university founded and sponsored by the Felician Sisters, we have a proud tradition in this region,” he observed. “We are committed in significant ways to an educational model that values the dignity and integrity of every individual student we serve.”
Michelle Danou, a two-time alumna, member of Madonna’s Alumni Board, and recipient of the 2025 Emerging Leader Award, presented the following Alumni Awards to Ryleigh Kryska, Robb Drzewicki, and Amy MacLeod.
The Emerging Leader Award went to Ryleigh Kryska, who graduated in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in social work and certificates in community leadership and addiction studies.
Kryska serves as chief of operations at Mala Child & Family Institute, a mental health clinical practice in metro Detroit. In addition to managing more than 50 clinicians and staff members and serving clients, she led Mala’s expansion to three stand-alone clinics and the addition of occupational therapy, medication management, and a student training wing.
Kryska volunteers with Gleaners Community Food Bank’s “Cooking Matters” program and bakes birthday cakes for foster children through For Goodness Cakes.
The Outstanding Service Award was presented to Robb Drzewicki, who earned a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies in 2012.
Beyond his role as director of communications and public affairs for the City of Westland, Drzewicki is committed to community engagement through volunteer work and service on various boards, including St. Baldrick’s Foundation, where, for the last 15 years, he has helped raise thousands of dollars annually for childhood cancer research.
He also holds leadership roles with the Livonia Public Schools Education Foundation, TAFFY (Taking Action for Friends, Family, and Youth), and DO It for Denny, a Livonia nonprofit that promotes kindness initiatives.
The recipient of the Professional Excellence Award was Amy MacLeod, who earned a bachelor’s degree in occupational safety, health and fire science from Madonna in 1999.
MacLeod’s distinguished 25-year career at Ford Motor Company includes more than a decade as a safety engineering leader. She currently serves as Body Area Manager at the Dearborn Truck Plant, leading more than 500 employees.
An ovarian cancer survivor, MacLeod passionately advocates for women’s health, raising funds for ovarian cancer research and increasing awareness of early detection. She also supports fundraising and education efforts for Crohn’s & Colitis and breast cancer.
Following the alumni recognition, Dougherty presented the Livonia Public School District with the Community Partner Award, explaining that the partnership goes far beyond the district hiring Madonna graduates and providing student-teacher placements. “The Livonia Public School system prepares students to succeed at Madonna in whatever major they choose. Counselors and teachers also promote Madonna to students preparing for college.” Dougherty noted that many LPS educators and staff members have been encouraged to pursue master’s, education specialist, and doctoral degrees at Madonna.
Livonia Public Schools Superintendent Andrea Oquist was joined at the event by Assistant Superintendent Bill Green, a 1994 alumnus of Madonna’s teacher education program, and Livonia School Board President Colleen Burton.
In accepting the award, Oquist noted that the district’s partnership with Madonna provides many points of connection and a shared purpose of preparing the next generation of educators. “This is a thread in a much larger collaboration that grows stronger every year,” said Oquist.
Guests at the event also enjoyed a musical presentation by students Kara Finch and Ryan Goldberg and remarks by 1962 alumna and benefactor Dr. Christina Kary. Kary expressed deep gratitude for the Felician Sisters and prior graduates who prepared her for a challenging career in chemistry.
The program concluded with remarks by Dr. Anne Gunterman, who reflected on the legacy of her aunt Beatrice Czenkusz, a 1956 alumna and long-time benefactor who died in late 2024. A first-grade teacher for 43 years, Czenkusz made a final bequest to Madonna to support scholarships for future teachers. Gunterman quoted from a speech Czenkusz had given at Deo Gratias in 2009, saying, “Don’t give until it hurts, give until it feels good.”
After the program, guests were invited to visit the Felician Sisters of North America Heritage Center located within the Welcome Center.
