1997

March 17, 1997
Wyandotte Distinguished Graduate
Inductees

Kucyk, Jr., William J. - 1969
Lapham, E. Virginia (Sheppard) - 1949
Lund, Lt. Col. Monica (Magier) - 1970
Shurmur, Leonard "Fritz" - 1950

William J. Kucyk, Jr. - Class of 1969

Lt. William J. Kucyk has distinguished himself as a Detective with the Oakland County Sheriff's Department Homicide Division.

Following his graduation from Roosevelt High School, William served in the U.S. Army where he attended NCO School and graduated with honors as a Military Police Officer. Upon discharge, he attended Michigan State University, earning a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice. In 1981, Lt. Kucyk received his Juris Doctor Degree from the Detroit College of Law and is a member of the Michigan Bar Association.

Lt. Kucyk has earned numerous awards and recognitions throughout his career including: exceptional valor, service and unit citations, professional excellence awards, and Officer of the Year honors.

Lt. Kucyk is the Commander for the Oakland County Special Response Team and is recognized as the originator of the Oakland County Homicide Task Force, one of the most successful crime fighting units in the country.

Lt. Kucyk is a Roosevelt High School Alumni Booster, coaches baseball and softball in Royal Oak, and is active in the Rainbow Connection. He and his wife Katherine, and children Brad and Sara, live in Troy, Michigan.

E. Virginia (Sheppard) Lapham - Class of 1949

E. Virginia Lapham, Ph.D., Social Worker, Educator, and Humanitarian has reached the goals she set for herself after graduating from Theodore Roosevelt High School in 1949. She credits many of her high school teachers with seeing more in her than she saw in herself; they gave her the independence to pursue learning on her own.

From Roosevelt, she went on to Michigan State University, earning a B.A. with a major in speech. During her college years, she returned to Wyandotte as a student teacher, both at Roosevelt (speech and social studies) and in the elementary schools (speech therapy).

Dr. Lapham formally pursued learning for 30 years after her undergraduate work, earning her M.Ed. in special education from Wayne State University, her M.S.W. from Hunter College in New York City, and her Ph.D. in social work from the University of Maryland.

After serving as a speech therapist for the Southgate Public Schools, Dr. Lapham and her late husband went to the Middle East to work with Palestinian refugees. Dr. Lapham cites contributions to the communities in which she has lived (Michigan, Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia, New York, and Virginia), primarily in the areas of equal rights, peace and justice. She has worked for fair employment practices and fair housing opportunities, to establish an international kindergarten and special education for the American School in Rabat, Morocco; to organizing groups in response to the excesses of the Vietnam War; to working with persons with disabilities to achieve equal education rights; to providing short and longer term solutions to problems of Washington D.C.'s homeless. Additionally, the mother of five children, Dr. Lapham has worked on PTA, Brownies, Girl Scouts, and youth groups.

Dr. Lapham is probably most noted for the work she is currently doing to educate people and alert them to opportunities and risks of genetic discrimination. As science is developing more sophisticated methods of genetic testing, Dr. Lapham is keeping people aware of the potential for discrimination, including loss of health insurance and loss of jobs.

Dr. Lapham is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Georgetown University where she continues her research and teaching. She also holds adjunct appointments at Catholic University, Virginia Commonwealth University, and the University of Maryland. She has published numerous books, articles, and videos and has been a speaker at many professional conferences.

Through all her work, her accomplishments, and her honors, Dr. Lapham values one award the most, and it speaks not only to her distinguished career, but to her life of service. In 1987 she was awarded the Annual Distinguished Professional Award by the Parent Association of Children with Multiple Handicaps, Greater New York Area. That is the award that hangs in her office.

Dr. Lapham currently resides in Vienna, Virginia.

Lt. Col. Monica (Magier) Lund - Class of 1970

Monica Mary Lund, Lt. Colonel, distinguished herself in the fields of Pediatrics, Neonatal and Medical Surgical Care while serving with distinction in the United States Army Nurse Corps for over twenty-two years.

Monica first showed her interest in a medical career while at Roosevelt High School. She was chosen President of the Future Nurses Club and volunteered as a Candy Striper at the Wyandotte General Hospital. After receiving her B.S. in Nursing from Michigan State University in 1974, Monica began a military career in the Army Medical Department.

Monica Lund continued her training at Central Michigan University (M.S. in Health Service Administration), University of Southern California (M.S. in Education), Vanderbilt University (M.S. in Nursing), Command and General Staff College (3 yearr program) with specialized training in Faculty Development, Critical Care Nursing, and Advanced Nursing Administration.

While serving in the military, Monica has been assigned to duties in Korea, Hawaii, Germany, Louisiana, Washington, and Texas. Her assignments have included serving as Chief of Nursing, Head Nurse, Supervisor of Nursing, and Clinical Charge Nurse in Pediatrics, Neonatal Care and Medical Surgical Care.

Monica's distinguished career earned her numerous awards and recognitions including the Legion of Merit Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Ribbon, Meritorious Service Medal with 1st Oak Leaf Cluster, The Army Commendation Medal with 1st Oak Leaf Cluster, and three Overseas Ribbons. Monica is a member of Sigma Theta Tau National Honor Society, Sigma Iota Epsilon Honorary Management Fraternity, and the Association of Women's Health, Obstetrics and Neonatal Nurses. She has authored numerous articles for national nursing journals.

Lt. Colonel Monica Lund is presently the Chief of Maternal Child Nursing Service of the largest Medical Department in the U.S. Medical Command serving 147,686 beneficiaries. Monica is responsible for the nursing management of seven work sites, leads, and directs 220 nursing personnel, and serves as liaison to Brooke Army Medical Center for development of a fifteen bed Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Lt. Colonel Monica Lund and her husband Mark, a Gulf War Veteran, have three children and reside in Fort Hood, Texas.

Leonard "Fritz" Shurmur - Class of 1950

Leonard "Fritz" Shurmur distinguished himself as an athlete, author, and veteran coach of 42 seasons, including the last 21 with the National Football League.

"Fritz" studied at Albion College, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Education, and in 1956, a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership. While at Albion, Fritz was considered an outstanding athlete and was selected the MIAA-Most Valuable Player in 1953.

Fritz launched his coaching career in 1954 as a graduate student at Albion College where he served as Assistant Football Coach and Head Swimming Coach through 1961. In 1962 he joined the University of Wyoming as an Assistant Football Coach for nine years. As Wyoming's defensive coach, Shurmur's team gained national recognition by leading the nation's major colleges in defense in 1966 and 1967. The Wyoming Cowboys participated in the Sugar Bowl in 1966, the Sun Bowl in 1967, and paced the Western Athletic Conference for five years. In 1971 Fritz was elevated to the position of University of Wyoming Head Coach, a position he held for four years. In 1975, Fritz became part of the National Football League, serving as Defensive Line Coach/Coordinator for the Detroit Lions (1975-77), New England Patriots (1978-81), L.A. Rams (1982-90), Phoenix Cardinals (1991-93), and the Green Bay Packers (1994-present). On January 26, 1997, 800 million viewers around the world watched Fritz Shurmur's defensive team in action as the Green Bay Packers won Super Bowl XXXI.

Innovator/Technician define Fritz Shurmur's style. When faced with the Los Angeles Rams injury depleted defensive unit, Fritz developed the infamous 2-5 "Eagle" defense which led the Rams to two post-season victories. With the Phoenix Cardinals, Fritz developed the "11 men to the football" concept that triggered 37 opponent fumbles, the third highest single-season total in franchise history. A year later, the "Big Nickel" alignment fueled a defensive surge that crippled opponents rushing yards per game.

Fritz Shurmur has authored four books: Coaching Team Defense; The Five Linebacker Eagle Defense; Coaching Team Defense, Second Edition; and Coaching the Defensive Line. His books have earned acclaim from fans and peers. His defensive style is often the focus of prominent analysts during nationally televised games.

Fritz is an active supporter of the Roosevelt High School Alumni Football Club and lends his support to numerous fund raising efforts. A much sought after speaker, Mr. Shurmur speaks at approximately 35 charitable and professional functions per year.