Grant Sherwood Biography Legacies Project

Grant attended The College of Wooster in his home state of Ohio, where he continued to play varsity basketball, lettering all four years, and serving as co-captain his senior year. One day, while living and working at the college gymnasium, Grant was approached by the dean and given the opportunity to work as head resident for a building of 150 upperclassmen, which included a large group of students in Greek housing. Through this experience, Grant learned that he enjoyed the higher education environment and that, through housing and residence life, he could influence young folks in a way he hadn’t imagined.

After graduating from The College of Wooster (‘65) with a degree in Liberal Arts, Grant moved to East Lansing, Michigan, where he started his master’s degree in College Personnel Services at Michigan State University.  A year later, he married his wife Pat (also a Wooster grad), and she joined him in East Lansing.

He enjoyed his time at MSU. Grant lived on-campus as the manager of a large residence hall, which was home to 600 undergraduate men and one woman, his brave, then-22 year-old wife. The housing positions at Wooster and Michigan State reaffirmed his commitment to the field of higher education and student affairs. He reported to professionals who encouraged Grant and provided him with great learning opportunities. While in East Lansing, Pat taught English at a rural school district in the neighboring town of Stockbridge.

Later in his career, Grant earned his Ph.D. in College Student Personnel Administration from the University of Northern Colorado, while working full-time at CSU. His thesis research focused on residence hall students at CSU.

After graduating from Michigan State, Grant interviewed for positions all over the country – marking the first time he ever traveled on an airplane or traveled west of the Mississippi River.

Ready for a new adventure, Grant and Pat moved to Colorado. It was a meeting with the Director of Housing and Dining, Denny Madson, who had also come from Ohio, which prompted Grant to accept the job offer. CSU was in the process of reorganizing the housing operations/programs and Grant was intrigued by the challenge. At Michigan State, campus housing was split into two groups: the management side and the student affairs side. The management side made the financial/personnel decisions, while the student affairs side was attempting to create a quality living-learning experience for students. Grant was excited to bring the two sides together at CSU.

Initially, Grant came to CSU with the plan to stay a few years and then move on, but quickly fell in love with Fort Collins and stayed, raising his family and enjoying a number of unique career opportunities on the campus.

Grant began his employment at CSU in the fall of 1968, as an Area Coordinator in the Department of Housing and Residence Education. He was promoted to various positions during his early years with CSU and assumed the position of Director of Housing and Dining in 1978. Later in his career, he had the title of Coordinator of Auxiliary Services added to his responsibilities, which included working with the Lory Student Center, Hartshorn Health Services, and Campus Recreation. Grant used these new responsibilities as a way to further advocate for students and to provide a well-rounded program for student development.

In the later stages of his career at CSU, Grant served in two different interim positions: Director of Continuing Education and Vice President of Student Affairs.  He finished his administrative career as the interim Associate Vice President of Student Affairs.

Beginning in the early 1970’s, Grant joined the faculty of the newly established College Student Personnel Administration graduate program.  This program transitioned to what today is known as the Student Affairs in Higher Education Program based in the School of Education. The program started with a cohort of three students. From the beginning, the CSPA program provided additional training for CSU employees working in leadership positions across campus.

Grant taught in the program during most of his career at CSU and served as chairperson for 15 years when the program became known as SAHE beginning in 1990.   The CSPA/SAHE program has graduated more than 400 students who have gone on to successful careers in higher education.

Through SAHE, Grant became an associate professor and taught a variety of courses over the years including Administration, Law, Financial Management, Portfolio and many workshops.  During that time, he served as major adviser to more than 50 graduate students.

After a long, fulfilling career at CSU, Grant believes one of his biggest accomplishments is his role in growing and refining the SAHE program to become one of the top programs in the country. He is pleased to see the program’s successes: SAHE students now have opportunities to travel and study best practices around the world; graduates have been named to leadership roles at CSU and beyond; and alumni regularly relate enjoying career successes. He is also proud of facilitating the building and renovation of many campus facilities to create true living-learning environments as well as helping to grow and refine the campus auxiliary services.

Grant received the Oliver Pennock Distinguished Service Award and was honored for his years of service to CSU through the Dr. Grant P. Sherwood Student Affairs in Higher Education Endowment, which provides ongoing support for student/faculty program enhancement and initiatives for the SAHE Program.

On a national level, he has been celebrated by a number of professional associations. In 1997, the National Association of College Auxiliary Services awarded him the Robert Newton Award – its top recognition on an international level. He also served as president of NACAS in 1995. The Association of College and University Housing Officers-International presented him with two of their most prestigious awards, The Parthenon Award: and the ACUHO-I Award recognizing his earlier tenure as Director of Housing and Dining at CSU.

“Grant encouraged me to apply to Mills College, which was my first post-graduate degree job in higher education. I was very hesitant to go that far west (originally from Ohio). Grant encouraged me to look not just at the location, but to look closer at the value of the work experience, as it was a job that fit my stated goals for my first job post master’s degree. It was a great first professional position for me that I would have missed. I would not have had the unique work experience, made my lifelong friends nor be living in a state I love and not have the life I love if Grant had not encouraged me to apply. It was a small advising moment for him and a wonderful life affirming choice for me. I credit Grant with launching me into my satisfying and successful career in Student Affairs.

Thank you Grant Sherwood, I appreciate your help and kindness when I wasn’t sure what to do. I was not your official mentee, but you took the time to meet with me to find out what my goals were and when the job announcement came across your desk, you called me in to encourage me to apply. It made all the difference to my life. I am grateful you were there for me.”

Dr. Lisa Waits (M.Ed., ’86)

“As a 50-year old graduate student in SAHE struggling to succeed, Grant was always supportive, kind, and caring. He always had time for a talk and SAHE taught me so much under his leadership. He even made a connection with my husband when he came to visit.”

Diana Borrero-Lowe (formerly Diana Kotewa) (SAHE, ’95)

“I so appreciate the care that Grant has always had for his staff and students – how he has such an amazing memory for people’s names, his commitment to student growth and learning, his love for his family, and his wonderful laugh. I feel very lucky to have had the opportunity to learn from him as a faculty member and as a member of my Master’s committee, throughout my career including my current role with Housing & Dining at Colorado State. He’s been a wonderful mentor and friend, and I’m so pleased that he received this recognition!”

Mari Strombom, Associate Executive Director of Housing and Dining Services at Colorado State University (’89 M.Ed.)

“I have a million memories of Grant Sherwood. He was the Director of Housing when I was a new employee in 1983. One of the things I remember most fondly about Grant was his deep connection to his employees and his ability to create a family feeling among his staff. When I was recovering from breast cancer in 1984, Grant, on more than one occasion, came to the hospital to be there for me. Grant was a steady and wise mentor to me and gave me many professional opportunities to learn and grow. I always and still do feel his deepest support. Grant embodies the best in leadership. Vision and strong skills connected to a big heart and deep compassion for others. Grant was a gift to me and to the CSU campus. I am really excited his legacy is being recognized and honored.”

Anne Hudgens, Executive Director of Student Health Services at Colorado State University