Donna Malaski, president of the AP Assembly, presents Lieutenant Mel Gilroy with the 2006 Outstanding AP Award.

Mel Gilroy, a lieutenant in Oakland University’s Police Department, came to OU in 1968 as a farm boy from Williamston who wanted to get a college education. He was drawn to law enforcement when he worked as a student dispatcher for OU’s police department. Nearly 40 years later he is still at OU, and his peers honored him for his dedication and service as the 2006 Outstanding Administrative Professional (AP) on June 12.

“This is home and you are all family,” said Gilroy, CAS '89. “Oakland’s always been a special place to me.”

Police Chief Samuel Lucido came to Oakland University four years ago and has been impressed, not only by Gilroy’s knowledge of the department and his history with OU, but also with his ability to provide leadership, enhance staff morale and his commitment to serving the community.

“In my 30 years in law enforcement, I don’t think I’ve met a more dedicated police officer than Mel Gilroy,” said Lucido. “And behind that tough cop image he tries to portray, he’s a compassionate individual.”

According to Mark Gordon, lieutenant for OUPD, he has worked with the department for 18 years — Gilroy was his boss for 17 of those years — and now as his equal, he is learning even more from Gilroy, who Gordon thinks of as a mentor.

“What separates him from other managers is the time he takes to get to know his staff,” said Gordon.

Jennifer Gilroy, senior associate registrar, is not only a fellow OU employee but also Gilroy’s wife of nearly 33 years. She said her husband’s dedication to the OU community expands far beyond that of his police uniform.

“Everywhere we go, he is an OU ambassador,” said Jennifer.

While he is a police officer, Gilroy said he is an educator of OU’s students, too.

“Really, what we are doing here at Oakland University is influencing the future. We at the police department are educators, too. We just teach harder lessons,” said Gilroy. “We all support the main mission of the university.”

The Outstanding AP award was created in 1984 by the AP Assembly to recognize one AP annually who puts extraordinary effort in to supporting OU’s mission and strategic plan, expresses a spirit of cooperation and participates in community and university service through non-job related activities.

Nominations are solicited each spring by the AP Assembly and a committee of APs selects the winner. The recipient is presented with a plaque along with a $1,000 stipend.

The AP Assembly also honored the work of Dawn Aubry, associate director of Admissions, for her service to the AP Assembly throughout the past three years.